To wonder why I'm always so hungry?

[Billchan]

I'm breastfeeding and I know that burns extra calories, but I eat meals and it's like I've ate nothing at all. I have a fair idea about nutrition, so have upped my protein and fat intake, and water intake, but nothing leaves me feeling full. I'm logging my food into My Fitness pal and am eating around 2200 calories, which should be more than enough for me at size 8. I'm so sick of this constant hungry feeling!

I've read it can happen with thyroid or blood sugar level issues. So intend to get a doctors appointment asap, but in the meantime was wondering has anyone experienced this?

[WhiteCaribou]

To be honest that doesn't sound like a lot at all. Isn't the recommended calorie allowance for an average woman around 2000? Plus you are recommended to have an extra approx 500 calories worth if breastfeeding. You are obviously slim so maybe your allowance might be 1800 but even so that would mean an intake of 2300 would be appropriate.

I was always starving when I was breastfeeding but even though I didn't restrict my food (tried to eat healthy stuff though) I lost all my baby weight within a year and I had put on nearly four stone. It sounds like you are entirely normal to me.

[venys]

I am always starving while breastfeeding. Weightwatchers is quite good as it gives you extra points for breastfeeding and you can work out what gives you more bang for buck - eg a couple of weetabix vs a couple of squares of chocolate.

[Billchan]

It's more that fact that my body doesn't seem to register that I've eaten food. I shouldn't be feeling like that after eating a big meal. 2200 calories should be plenty, but if I ate another 300, I cant imagine I'd feel full up. Physically I can feel the food sitting in my belly, but I still have that hungry feeling. My dh thinks it's something to do with the signals from my brain, as he's seen what I can eat in a sitting and thinks I couldnt possibly be hungry after that. So its like a false hunger iykwim.

[pandapop17]

Go to the doctor. I was like this breast feeding. I ate loads and not healthy stuff yet I lost baby weight and more. My family kept nagging me and no one believed how much I ate (i got really skinny) Turned out I was borderline over active thyroid. The doctors kept an eye on it and it eventually stabilised. If not i would have needed medication. A couple of years later I am back to counting the calories! I miss stuffing my face but the quick weight loss wasn't normal.

[littlepeas]

You can eat a lot when breastfeeding - I was more of a size 12 (5ft 6in), but easily ate 4000 calories per day (remember once eating 8 slices of toast with pate between lunch and dinner…..), lost all my baby weight very quickly and then maintained. Keep an eye on it, as a thyroid issue is possible, but based on my experience, you aren't actually eating that much considering you are bf.

[ZouBisou]

I go through phases where I'm always starving, but they eventually just wear off.

Sometimes I think it's partly psychological, and I get into a pattern of thinking about food a lot and being hungry when I don't have much else going on. Then the more aware I am of it, the worse it gets!

When work is crazy busy, or I have lots on my mind, I feel less hungry and eat less.

Are you actually gaining weight? My weight doesnt fluctuate all that much between starving / not hungry phases so I don't worry about it that much.

[KickAssAngel]

When I was pregnant I seemed to lose the 'full' switch in my brain during the last month. I could go out for a big 3 course meal then still be hungry when I got home again. Once I had DD it reset and I felt full after eating. It could just be hormone changes meaning you don't quite register or recognise being full in quite the same way.

If you're also losing weight it's more likely to be thyroid, which can also be affected by pregnancy.

[Billchan]

No not gaining weight Zou but not loosing either, have been the same weight since November, despite eating extra healthy since Christmas. I'm a couple of pounds of pre pregnancy weight.

Panda I was like that with my last baby, was a bag of bones by 9m pp, but I was never as hungry as this. Will definitely ask about thyroid test, I just feel like something is out if whack.