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Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Infant feeding

Does breastfeeding affect your energy levels?

15 replies

colette · 09/03/2004 20:36

Obviously breastfeeding uses calories (although my body has yet to see the evidence!)and the release of oxytocin(is that the right name of the hormone?) can make you feel quite relaxed after b/f. But does it drain your energy reserves? I am hoping that the answer is yes, then at least I will know once I stop I can look forward to feeling a bit more lively iykwim. Ds is 8mnths and I am planning to go on for a bit longer.
Anyone know ??

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tiktok · 10/03/2004 10:40

No evidence that it does, Colette - any more than caring for a young baby is demanding of energy. Breastfeeding is a normal, physiological process that happens 'unseen' in the way you renew your blood, lymph, mucus and other bodily fluids as you need to!!

If you are tired and drained, then you may need to think of other aspects of your day to day life that could help you...diet, sleep, stress, dashing about....

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motherinferior · 10/03/2004 11:06

I have friends who found it drained them, I have to say.

I'm not sure for me. I think at the beginning it did - b/f was very emotionally draining as well. I felt continually yoked to my baby. But then I have no experience of a non-breastfed baby so it may be that I attribute a lot of the hell of small babies to breastfeeding (sorry but I did find it hellish, both times). Now it's very different (our babies are about the same age, aren't they - and I'm b/fing too). I'm still knackered but I think that's more because the litle darlings wake so (**ing early!

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Evita · 10/03/2004 11:41

No, not for me. I had more energy and good health while breast feeding than ever before in my life! Since I've stopped I've felt much more tired and drained.

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Fennel · 10/03/2004 12:06

Yes it absolutely drained me when I did it full time (for 4 months and 5 months). Felt like a new person when I went down to half and half after that. I didn't find it draining when it was only half and half.

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aloha · 10/03/2004 12:09

Didn't drain me - felt the same before as after. Sorry!

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Cam · 10/03/2004 14:06

Have to say that I was extremly tired for the 6 months I b/fed dd2 and did feel a lot more energetic when she weaned herself off!

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oliveoil · 10/03/2004 14:12

Agree with others, think was I found so exhausting was the lack of sleep and the hard work of those first few months not the feeding itself

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bundle · 10/03/2004 14:22

I haven't felt that drained by it (fed dd1 till 23 mths, now still feeding dd2 at 10 mths and hope to carry on till she's 2-ish, although probably only 1 or 2 feeds a day by then) - but recently when I was ill my breastfeeding/expressing was definitely affected and I felt truly drained when trying to get even the odd ounce to send to nursery with dd2. last night she slept well & I've loads of milk

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colette · 10/03/2004 14:32

Thanks for your replies,
Yes MI think our babies are the same age . How is your little one doing?
So the jury is still out on if it makes you even more tired . I have wondered because I seem to have more milk if I have had a reasonable sleep.

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mears · 10/03/2004 15:14

Colette - would it not be that if you have had a reasonable sleep then you have not fed so often therefore your breasts are fuller?
I breastfed 4 babies and did not feel drained by it. In fact, once I had 4 children I felt more drained once I stopped feeding because I didn't have an excuse to sit down and do nothing other than feed

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StripyMouse · 10/03/2004 15:33

colette - it left me feeling drained every time - I even equated it to being similar to being attacked by a vampire in terms of feeling my "life blood" was being drained away. Silly I know and rather emotive imagery but it is how I honestly felt at the time. I also went white as a sheet and very wobbly after every feed. I was following a healthy diet but was rather anaemic at the time (possibly wirth checking if you ahve similar feelings). Not surprisingly, I gave up bf after a while as it just didn?t suit me.

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hercules · 10/03/2004 15:49

Not at all, no difference, if anything helps as have to sit down several times a day and therefore dh does most of housework as well as working

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2under2 · 10/03/2004 17:48

don't feel drained by breastfeeding either (I do however feel sleep deprived by ds's voracious nighttime appetite). I get really hungry though and dh enviously watches as I munch my way through all sorts of treats and still lose weight..

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eddm · 10/03/2004 18:20

I found I really needed to eat at the same time or would feel very drained, even dizzy. So had a stash of raisins, chocolate biscuits, anything I could grab and eat while ds was feeding. He was never predictable so I didn't know whether a feed would be 20 mins or an hour, which made it difficult to plan proper meals (although he was putting on plenty of weight so there wasn't any particular reason to worry about it IYSWIM). Miss it now I've gone back to work though!

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colette · 10/03/2004 18:48

I agree with the point about feeding being a time to sit down, I used to use it as a time to read but now ds is so easily distracted and thrashes around. He will lunge at a book or magazine now. It probably isn't the b/feeding just the constant attention ds demmands. I know his grandparents think I spoil him because he yells when I put him down!!