what do you eat?!

[ithoughtofitfirst]

I am bf a 10 week old and its officially the longest I've ever breastfed. Going strong! Or so I thought. Haha.

Today I've felt like I'm going to faint all day. My nails keep snapping and flaking. I have been nodding off all day. I drove to a baby group earlier with baby and toddler and when I arrived I felt like I couldn't remember driving there.

My supply seems ok I think it is satisfying dd.

Does anyone have any dietary advice? Or should I just get down the gp as first step?

[PoppySausage]

You need to eat ever so slightly more but I don't think feeling like that is normal. Gp I reckon, or maybe some breast feeding vitamins?

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Hmm yeah I will ring them now. I felt like this around the 9 week mark last time but I gave up around the same time because of medication. I take Sainsburys own ppregnancy vits which claim to be for breastfeeding too but maybe I should switch to pregnacare.

Thanks for flagging it up as not normal though. I thought it might be cause of the same happening last time.

[PoppySausage]

Pregnacare are really good

[TheGirlAtTheRockShow]

Could be anaemic - see doc for iron levels to be checked.
Healthy diet with lots of protein and leafy green veg.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Definitely feels like it could be anaemia actually. Might get some spinach to get me through the rest of the day. Like Popeye.

[tiktok]

See a doctor.

If you are anaemic, you need treatment.....spinach won't do it,unless you eat literally bagfulls :)

[Orangedaisy]

I had my blood pressure checked when dd was about 6 months, EBF. It was a bit low which the nurse and I put down to sheer exhaustion-dd is a terrible sleeper since 4.5 months. She just recommended I up the food intake and maxed out on red meat and cake. Words I thought I would never hear from a nhs bod

[BertieBotts]

Are you eating normally yourself - you're not cutting anything out because of BF are you?

I agree it could well be anaemia. They'll give you some lovely tablets which will bung you up

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Oooh blood pressure that's a good shout. I'm going to get my bum down the gp first thing see if they can squeeze me in.

I don't eat dairy atm cause it makes dd really colicky. But it's surprising how restrictive it is. I struggle to find alternative foods.

[Bigbadgeorge]

Be really careful cutting out dairy, you need calcium as well as your baby. Perhaps ask for a dieticians referral and take an additional calcium supplement?

[VioletandRoger]

Low iron

[Bigbadgeorge]

Ps oat milk and cream (oately) taste quite nice but buy only non organic one as this is fortified, the organic one isn't

[ruth1104]

second the suggestion for calcium: i have to cut out dairy as ds is allergic and ive been prescribed calcium with vit d(for absorption) to prevent osteoporosis. Saying that im also starving all the time! To the extent that im eating meat again after 13 years!

[QuietTinselTardis]

My blood pressure was a bit low when dd was little. Make sure you're eating and sinking regularly. And don't drive if you feel woozy.

[QuietTinselTardis]

Eating and drinking! I have no idea how you'd sink on dry land.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Does oat milk have calcium? Supplements might be good. Perhaps multivitamins aren't cutting it where iron and calcium are concerned.

Eating and drinking was tricky yesterday. Monday is our super crazy out of the house from 7am til 7pm day. And Tuesday i recover normally. Today I will eat and drink like there's no tomorrow and see if that helps.

I'm up for the day and I already feel half dead. Oh joy.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Was going to say also I thought soya milk had calcium and stuff but I think I made that up.

[RunningOutOfIdeas]

Some soya milk is fortified. Broccoli and white bread are good sources of calcium.

[VioletandRoger]

Iron.

My babies took all my goodness and by 6 months I was catching one virus after another. I should have taken vitamin tablets really. Have a look at the recommended levels. They definitely won't meet your iron needs if anaemic

[VioletandRoger]

And start eating! Prepare food in advance while the baby sleeps

[Nana2013]

Hello - It could be because you need to eat more and your blood sugar levels are dropping, breast feeding takes a lot out of you so you need to keep your food intake up, maybe you need a good quality multivitamin too. Most of the dairy replacements contain similar nutrients to cows milk but just check on the carton. It was a longtime ago that I was breast feeding but I remember I was eating non stop. I supplement my diet with Herbalife shakes which I make with almond milk and they are really good for keeping you satisfied and energy levels up for looking after my granddaughter. Good luck x

[Oodbrain]

Vit D & calcium , I was deficient and it made me feel like shit.

Also dairy free and not doing too bad now (being veggie is more the issue !) do you eat soya? I found that once I ate soya I wasn't restricted as much

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Thanks everyone.

As the morning has progressed I just feel more and more rubbish. My stomach is churning with acidic type pain. I feel sick and run down. I'm just lying on the sofa dreading the kids waking up. Something ain't right. Can't wait to ring the doctors and get myself a blood request form.

I would say pregnant but it would be impossible. Dh is a 5 hour drive away on work today as well so won't be back til tomorrow early hours.

If dd has still got poor weight gain on Thursday when I get her weighed I feel like just giving up.

[Imeg]

Oh no, that sounds horrible, def sounds like one for the doctor :( Hope you get some answers.

I was told to cut out dairy by the doctor when baby was 5 months ish due to my own IBS and I did start feeling really rubbish, which I think was for various reasons but partly because it meant I couldn't eat most calorific foods (cake, ice cream etc). I found that most milk alternatives were low in calories.

Someone on here suggested flapjack with dripping which was good, I also had a lot of the full fat coconut milk eg as a sauce for pasta (the one in tins for cooking, not the one you drink). Also peanut butter.

[Artistic]

I am BF DD2 at 13 weeks exclusively & plan to do so for the whole 6 months. Managed it with DD1 so looks possible.

Apart from having a healthy diet (I ensure that am covering all food groups daily & keeping sugar low as it can provide some fake energy), am having pregnacare BF & calcium tablets daily. I also have Spatone occasionally but I know my iron is ok.

Without dairy..and speaking of flaky nails..I would vote for calcium supplements for you. Try Calcichew-D3 Forte.