What to Expect When Donating Blood
If you haven’t given blood before, the process can be a bit mysterious and daunting. So, we’re here to help calm your nerves and give a peek inside the process of giving blood.
What to Know Before You Go
Hydrate!
Drink lots of water a day or two before donating. The Red Cross suggests drinking an extra 16 oz. of water (or other non-alcoholic drink before your appointment.) This will make it much easier for your technician to find your veins. This means faster blood flow, meaning your donations will take less time away from your day and cause less pain in the arm for you, too.
Eat Healthy
Eat iron-rich foods like spinach, red meat, or beans on the days leading up to the donation to boost hemoglobin levels. This is important because iron is the crucial component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to your lungs and all the tissues in your body.
Your hemoglobin will be checked during your mini-health check to ensure that it’s safe for you to donate. If it’s too low, you may be asked to wait before you donate.
Iron is an essential mineral that is a part of hemoglobin, which helps maintain your strength and energy. Your body needs iron to make new blood cells. Pumping up on iron before your blood donation will help you replace the ones you lost during your donation.
Avoid:
Fatty foods, like donuts, hamburgers, fried chicken, and french fries. These foods can interfere with blood testing for infectious diseases.
Caffeine. Unfortunately, that morning brew can constrict blood vessels and make it harder for the body to absorb iron. Limit yourself to one cup of coffee a few hours before donating blood. If you do end up caffeinating, drink additional water to bring your hydration back up. Other culprits of caffeine include tea and energy drinks.
Aspirin: If you’re donating platelets, your body must be aspirin-free for 48 hours before donation. Please consult your doctor before you stop taking aspirin.
What to Expect The Day of Your Blood Donation
Grab Your ID
Before you grab your keys and head out the door, bring your driver’s license or two other forms of identification. Acceptable forms of identification for blood donors are:
A donor ID card
Driver’s license with photo
Immigration and naturalization service card (aka a green card)
State ID
Employee ID with photo
Passport
Student ID with photo
Military ID
The Red Cross also lists secondary forms of ID, such as a payroll stub and more.
Rolling Up Your Sleeves
Dress in a short-sleeved shirt, and you can roll up above your elbows. This will be more comfortable for you and avoid awkward wardrobe moments. Consider bringing a book or headphones to occupy your brain and take a mini break during your donation.
A Mini-Health Check
You’ll sign in and check in with staff and then wait to get called up for your mini-health check. Staff will:
Ask about your medical history and any recent illnesses.
Check your vitals: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels to make sure you’re safe to donate.
That orange happy face squishy ball isn’t just for stress, it’s to help keep the flowing and speeds up the process.
Getting Down to Business
You’ll be assigned a technician and get your chair to rest and relax during your blood donation.
Staff will prep the area with an alcohol wipe, usually on your inner arm. You’ll feel a prick from the sterile needle insertion, and although it’s bigger than a flu shot needle, it feels like a little pinch or slight sting. But if you’re a little queasy, this is the time to look away.
A typical blood draw takes about 10–15 minutes for a whole blood donation, but when I gave for the first time, I was a bit dehydrated, and it took them about 30 minutes. (Just another reason to drink that water the night before and the morning of.) Plasma or platelet donations may take longer.
Usually, around a pint of blood is drawn. It may seem like a lot, but most folks have plenty to spare, and you’ll recover quickly. Just remember to take care of yourself after your donation, too.
Don’t forget to load up on snacks and water after your donation to bring your glucose and hydration levels up again.
Taking Care of Yourself After Donating Blood
After you’re done donating, you’ll be bandaged up and asked to move to the recovery area. There’ll be lots of snacks and drinks to bring your blood sugar and hydration levels back up again. You’ll want to take 10–15 minutes to sit and rest before you get up again to avoid dizziness.
Avoid working out too hard or engaging in intense physical activity for the rest of the day, and drink lots of water. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours afterward too.
For a list of potential side effects of blood donations, read this article from Medical News Today.
Your body will naturally replace the fluids within a day or so, but it may take a few weeks to replenish the red blood cells fully..
Pat Yourself on the Back
Donating blood saves lives, so give yourself a pat on the back for a good deed done. Donating blood can feel intimidating at first. You were brave, helped your community, and saved up to three lives in the process. Way to go!
If you have more questions about blood donations, check out the Red Cross Blood Services website here. Please consider signing up to donate now or walk in on November 18 at the Big Waves Blood Drive. Get the details here.