Is it normal to feel this run down while breastfeeding?

[naturelover]

I am constantly tired, hungry, weak and feel run down. I'm breastfeeding a big hungry 10 month old.

Are there particular vitamins/minerals that I need? I'm taking Solgar pregnancy/breastfeeding multi-vit, plus calcium. I wonder if I should change brand or take more?

To give you the full picture, I have cut lots of foods out of my diet because of DS's eczema (dairy, eggs, tomatoes, yeast, citrus, some other acidic fruit). I'm normal weight for my height. I feel utterly depleted and permanently hungry but unable to satisfy my cravings (for cakes, dairy and eggs!)

I have been breastfeeding and/or pregnant for nearly 4 years - could this be the problem? Or is it simply that DS still feeds at night once or twice? I'm a SAHM with DH working long hours, no childcare or family help at all.... I appreciate I have a lot on my plate, I'm trying to rest when I can but I wondered if nutrition could help.

Any nutritian experts out there? Any tips for high-energy but healthy snacks that I can nibble on to keep up my energy levels?

Thanks

I felt like you when I had my son, except that I had no appertite. I had severe postnatl depression.

With my daugher I do feel a craving for sweet foods and I am tired, but nothing what I was like with my son.

As far as nutritian goes, I think you need to resist the tempation to eat lots of sugary feeds and try and eat slow release carbohydrates. Ie. for breakfast have some wholemeal cereal or porriage. It will be more substaining and keep you going.

Can you eat nuts as snacks? They are high in energy and good fats but won't give you a big blood sugar spike that you will come crashing back down the other side of.

Broken sleep is an absolute killer - I had DS waking 2/3 times a night still for a feed until just a few months ago and he will be 2 in a fortnight. Have you thought about night-weaning or aren't you ready to do that yet?

I'm no nutrition expert, but am also feeling pretty rundown (am feeding a 20-week-old pretty much constantly - every couple of hours at night, arghhh).

But I've not had to cut anything out, so that helps.

Like Reallytired advises, I find porridge for breakfast is a good start - you could try with soy milk or water rather than milk. I try to make a fruit salad in the morning that I can pick at all day (I note you'd have to leave out the citrus). But most days I have at least a chocolate muffin so I'm feeling your pain on the dairy and eggs ban.

Can you have apricots? I know dried fruit has lots of sugar, but a couple should be ok and give you a boost when you really need one. They also contain iron, which helps when you're run down.

Other ideas - nuts? I'm allergic to them, so I'll stick to the muffins

Hope you feel better soon. This heat doesn't help.

Have you had your iron levels tested? Iron deficiency can make you feel really tirerd and rundown. I've started taking a supplement myself and I've noticed the difference after about a week - I have far more energy for feeding my 10-month DS.

Thanks everyone.

Dietician didn't think iron levels would be low as my periods haven't come back yet - but I might ask my GP to be tested anyway.

I already eat lots of nuts. And cereals. Maybe I just need to eat bigger quantities. I feel like I eat all day long!

I appeciate your suggestions. The hardest thing for me is to avoid the quick sugar fixes. I have an insanely sweet tooth and I know it's doing me no good at all, energy-wise.

It could be iron - I take Spatone on top of my Pregnacare supplement and have definitely felt better since taking it.

Try adding some protein to your breakfast - some cheese or ham or something in a toasted sandwich or a criossant? It will keep you feeling fuller for much longer than just a bowl of cereal.

Dear Naturelover PLEASE get your iron levels checked. Breastfeeding DOES affect your iron levels as the baby is taking everything he/she needs so, yes, you can be anemic even if your periods haven't returned. Just for info here in France my GP automatically asked me to do a blood test as I was breastfeeding and my iron levels were dreadfully low - due to great blood loss during birth and breastfeeding. Now I have been taking the iron for 2 months I feel great despite the fact my DC3 is waking up often during the night. With my DC2 (6 years old now)I was exhausted all the time. Now I know why: nobody thought to check my iron levels.

Motherhood can be tiring but there is no reason to suffer even more. I really feel for you as I've been there.

Hope this helps and that I don't sound too patronising! I've got a wriggly 6 month old on my lap whilst I type .

I think it is your restricted diet that is making you feel so low and not breast feeding. You need some fat and calories and fun from food. Can you try to re-introduce some of the banned stuff (i started having dairy again when dd was 6 months- she had reflux, and she was fine and I felt so so much better). She has no intolerance now and I am still feeding a year later

I agree on iron levels - mine were low for the first 5-6 months with my DS, and only now back to normal-ish. Mine was caused by blood loss during delivery, but didn't get the chance to replenish naturally - iron tablets made a massive difference - even with 3-4 wake ups a night I felt human again.
Also suggest dried fruit as a snack - apricots in particular.
If you can manage to bake, then flapjacks are great - lots of oats, fruit etc and easy to eat when you haven't got time on your side. A quick Google brings lots of dairy free flapjack recipes (or possibly might be some in the 'special foods' bit of the supermarkets, with the gluten free stuff?)

I second the restricted diet: how about seeking a second opinion? I am guessing you got the advice about what to cut out from a naturopath or similar?

Re-introducing foods gradually and seeing if they affect your son might be worth a go.

Thanks so much. I'm really convinced iron will help and have booked blood test for tomorrow. I did lose quite a lot of blood at delivery. I do eat quite a lot of spinach, broccoli, meat, fish, apricots etc but I think my lifestyle right now is incredibly demanding and my diet clearly isn't as good as it could be.

Isn't it telling that I look back on my two days in hospital post c-section as the last time I actually had a rest and was looked after?

To answer your questions, I do periodically try some dairy etc - about once a month - but DS still reacts with eczema flare-ups. Goats milk also causes it.

I'm hoping allergy testing for him in a couple of months will at least confirm my suspicions re his food intolerances.

Well done on booking your blood test Naturelover! Let us know how you get on.

my recommedation is homemade muesli. You can put what you like in it, make a big batch and it doesn't go off or stale. My current mix contains oats, puffed quinoa, nuts, dried banana's and raisins. I'm also adding a handful of cocopops at the moment for an early chocolate fix!

To be honest, I feel much the same as you do, and am in a similar situation. I also have the benefit of being a chef and having nutritional therapy qualifications, and I STILL can't make myself feel any better by what I eat! I'm at my best if I am eating lots of salad, but I have come to assume that what I need to feel better is more sleep and less stress.

I felt constantly tired until DD went down to something like 3 feeds a day. I also started Spatone at the same time which may have been a coincidence. How many feeds are you doing?