Does breastfeeding make anaemia worse

[Exhaustedx]

Ive been anaemic for years. When not pregnant it’s due I think to heavy periods when pregnant apparently it’s just normal.
Always on spatone x 2 a day plus iron tablets with little improvement.

Currently bf but wondering is this making it worse ?
I eat SO well. Green leafy veg, chickpeas, lentils, not vegetarian or vegan so eat meat.
I do drink coffee and tea but not to excess.

I’m so so fed up of feeling this rubbish. Drs don’t seem bothered at all. Current level is 7 it never seems to get above 9 and I’ve been told the minimum should be 11 but they don’t do anything when it never gets to that level

No! It fixed mine. Two years in and my GP said 'You've as much haemoglobin as a butcher's dog!'

Nice man.
But he could see anaemia had been a problem for me all through my teenage years and early 20s. Breastfeeding put a stop to that.

7 is rubbish - you are clearly not incrementing because of how much you continue to lose with every period.

You have 2 options on how to approach this: do you still want to have periods? Are you for example TTC? If not, would a hormonal contraceptive that either reduces bleeding or stops your periods altogether be a solution? Or do you need your heavy periods investigating by gynae given how bad they are?

Other option - better iron replacement. Given you are trying and trying with oral iron, you may be a candidate for an iron infusion.

You may need both options.

Either way, go back to GP and push it.

The gp put me on the mini pill which hasn’t helped as I still have periods.
I’m just struggling now as so exhausted and wondered if bf is just draining more from me. I don’t want to stop yet but I can’t carry on like this I can’t stay awake !!

Sorry to add my gynae issues are frustrating I also get a lot of pain bloating since last July the gp thought I had a hernia a scan showed a ‘reactive’ lymph node I was meant to be re scanned in Nov but referral got lost saw gynae again a month ago they can still fee this lump said need another scan within 2 weeks and still waiting. I was told it may be IBS but my bowels are fine. So there’s a lot going on but my anaemia seems to be the most troublesome thing currently

I was wondering put on iron tablets when pregnant because I was anaemic and my GP advised me at my 8 week check up to remain on them for a month after I give up breastfeeding. Must be something in it because DS3 who is 7 months does not sleep and I have more energy with him than I did with either DS1 or 2 who were both textbook sleepers.

I was put on (not sure where random wondering came from)

Yikes! 7 is poor! I was given iron infusions as soon as mine dropped below 10. Felt a difference almost straight away!

My gp really doesn’t seem bothered at all. I couldn’t keep ferrous sulphate down so had ferrous fumarate also was given a liquid iron but that didn’t stay down either. Feroglobin hasn’t helped so its spatone and ferrous fumarate but they don’t seem to work
I may go to the gp again as it’s msking me struggle with day to day things I’m just too tired to function and absolutely dreading another period and feeling worse

Don't 'may go' - definitely go. Make it clear you can't function and ask about infusions.

You need to be really pro-active in making things happen rather than waiting for people to be interested in you bitter voice of experience

7 is really low.
I was offered a blood transfusion when mine was that low!

you need to go to your gp. anaemia is a symptom and the cause needs to be treated.
usually the reasons are bad periods, shit diet or absorption (gut) issues.

wrt breastfeeding - baby gets what it needs, mum's reserves are used up.