The Donating Process
Donating Tips
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Helpful Tips For a Successful Donation
1. Get a lot of rest the night before your donation.
2. Have a good breakfast and/or lunch but avoid fatty foods. Fatty materials (lipids) remain in your blood for several hours and may prevent the proper testing of your blood.
3. 24 hours prior to donating, begin drinking lots of liquids (especially water) – avoid caffeinated beverages.4. Eat iron rich foods such as red meat, poultry, fish. liver, beans, iron-fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables, raisins.
At the donation site:
1. Wear clothing with sleeves that can be raised above the elbow.
2. If you have donated blood before, show the staff member any “good veins” that have been used in the past.
After donating:
1. Drink plenty of fluids over the next 24-48 hours.
2. Avoid strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 5 hours after the donation.
3. If you should feel light-headed, lie down with your feet elevated until the feeling passes. Sometimes tapping your toes like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz ("There's no place like home. There's no place like home.") also helps.
If for any reason something does not feel right after you have donated, call the phone number provided to you after your donation.
The KU Blood Drive Committee is a non-discriminatory group. We are required to follow FDA regulations.