To wonder if it’s the breastfeeding that makes me feel like this??

[ethelfleda]

I am totally wiped out. DS is 1 year and still has roughly maybe 7 feeds in any 24 hours - sometimes more. Usually about 2 or 3 of these are at night but he sleeps in the bed with me so don’t think it’s necessarily lack of sleep as we don’t really wake up properly for each feed.

I eat and eat and eat and still feel as though I’m losing weight (haven’t got much to lose so not a good thing) and don’t just feel tired - I feel wiped out! It’s an effort to walk us the stairs some days and my skin is dull and dry etc

Could this be down to actual breastfeeding or just the down side of having a one year old??

I’ve tried to offer food before boob but it doesn’t work
Even tried to offer a cup of cows milk today when he was asking for a feed but he wouldn’t take it from me!

I don’t want to give up but I was hoping he’d only be having 2 or 3 feeds a day at this point!

Ask the GP for blood tests to check your vitamin and iron levels, etc. You might be deficient because of breastfeeding or something else.

I don't think that sounds anything to do with breastfeeding.

You need to see the GP for some blood tests I think.

I dont feel like this, and bf an 18 m old, bf also doesnt make me lose weight, i actually get bigger!

Eating lots but losing weight can sometimes indicate a thyroid issue so well worth requesting some blood tests just to be on the safe side.

Thanks all. Will make an appointment!

I’m glad you’re making an appointment. I’m feeding a 3.5 year old and although I’ve had times of feeling crap, it’s usually ok. And I’ve run a few marathons in that time. I do think it’s probably iron related. So also Malle sure that you’re getting enough fluids. This can’t be overstated. Your body will make milk for your baby at the expense of you and this includes hydration. X

Oh bless you OP, how rough for you. No, definitely. Its tiring have a one yr old, is he eating though? He should only be needing top ups and having water too for drinks. Feeding two or three times a night also sounds a lot for a one year old., who could go all night without a feed.

It also put on weight with ebf, it wasn't until I stopped that the weight came back under control.

7:24 doesn't sound much for a 1yo to me. 2 or 3 nightfeeds sounds great, on the low side of normal in my experience! Also a vote for a trip to the gp as well as the boring advice to drink more water, more than you'd imagine if you are feeling crappy whilst breastfeeding.

Gosh 7 feeds a day sounds a lot to me for a 1 year old. Do they eat solids at all?

Ebf definitely made me feel run down but you do need to make an effort to look after yourself - extra iron and vit d, and lots of complex carbs instead of sugar. Also get your thyroid checked, mine was horribly out of whack after giving birth. Would also recommend (if you can stand it) going away for one night - your baby won’t starve and it’s amazing how refreshed you will feel getting an actual uninterrupted full night’s sleep. I did this when DS was 10 months old and it was nothing short of miraculous - my dh had one bad night with DS but no harm
Done.

"Some toddlers are eating very few solids, or even no solids, at 12 months. This is not unusual and really depends on your child – there is quite a big variation. We like to see breastmilk making up the majority (around 75%) of baby’s diet at 12 months. Some babies will be taking more solids by 12 months, but others will still be exclusively or almost-exclusively breastfed at this point. It is normal for baby to keep breastmilk as the primary part of his diet up until 18 months or even longer. An example of a nice gradual increase in solids would be 25% solids at 12 months, 50% solids at 18 months, and 80% solids at 24 months."

kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/toddler-foods/

Wow! Anotheremma

Are all ebf DMs following this?

I didn't think there was sufficient in BM past about 6 months. Doesnt WHO recommend introducing solids around this age, not waitinntil 18 myths or even longer?

Don't be ridiculous. Babies don't go from just milk to just solids overnight. That's the whole point of the paragraph I quoted - it's a gradual transition.

Yes but anotheremma a 12 month old needs, say, 800 cals a day. So even if you had only 25% solids you’d be requiring 600cals of BM per day, which at 70cals/100ml of BM is 850ml breastmilk a day which would mean you’d only be giving a relatively small 120ml of BM per feed.

I’d venture to suggest even those babies who were “only” on 25% solids would be taking more than that in a feed thus less than 7 feeds a day.

Just to clarify: official advice is to introduce solids at 6 months, all babies with have some solids and some milk (whether breastmilk or formula or a mix) for a long time before they stop drinking milk and just eat solids. The point is that it's ok if they're still having more milk than solid food at 1 year. I think iron is the only thing they won't get enough of through breastmilk.

(None of which to say is that there is anything wrong with the way OPs baby is feeding at all! Just that she is definitely at one end of the spectrum in terms of number Of feeds rather than “at the lower end” as a PP posted).

Cross post. Many breastfed babies feed little and often, so it's perfectly possible for them to have their 850ml breastmilk split between 7 feeds or so.

It could also be vitamin D related - I was feeling wiped out when DD was 10 months old and also thought it was breastfeeding causing it. My blood test results showed a serious Vit D deficiency and since I started taking Vit D, I've seen a massive difference in both energy levels and mood

He is on solids - three meals a day plus snacks.

Although his appetite isn’t what is used to be! He had his jabs a couple of weeks ago and has had a bad cold etc and doesn’t seem as in to his food. Things have improved slightly the past feels days though.
I took him for a developmental review last wee and for the first time since he was born, he has dropped a centile (was on 9th, now on 2nd) hv didn’t seem too worried and said to think about maybe starting to offer food now when he asks for a feed. I’ve tried but he refuses!

I’ve bought some pregnancy vitamins to start taking as I read that I should really have carried on taking them whilst bf!

The tiredness is very similar to the tiredness you get in the first trimester of pregnancy (and no, not pregnant now!)

Blood tests for thyroid problems?

pregnancy/ birth can be a trigger for a number of autoimmune conditions and a key symptom of a lot of autoimmune conditions is fatigue.

Its definitely worth going to the GP and getting some bloods done to rule out autoimmune/ thyroid / anaemia etc.

It does seem to be worse before and during my period as well so may be it is iron.
My mood is very low. I was convinced earlier that my family would be better off without me!
Maybe it is all linked?!

Yikes please do go to GP

I have similar symptoms and have post partum hyperthyroidism. Please go to docs to get checked.

Sounds very, very like how I felt when I had an iron deficiency!