feeling faint and exhausted when bfeeding

[ThatllDoPig]

anyone else? I'm eating well, maybe its just tiredness, but I feel when I'm feeding great waves of being so tired I ache and can't keep eyes open, plus that 'fuzzy brain' sensation when getting light headed and everything is in slowmo. It's horrible and making me want to intro more formula, so far babys breastfed but with one formula bottle a day, just to give me more freedom for time with other dcs.

I don't know if it is normal to be like that, but I went through it too with both DC's when they both EBF for 4.5m. Every time they latched on my head rolled back and eyes closed and I only 'came to' again when the kids latched off. I never spoke to a MW/HV/GP though. I guess I was too busy BF and catching up on sleep, housework and shopping.

Same here, worrying me slightly that I'm going wibbly when in charge of a baby. I'm putting it down to tiredness and possibly not eating enough due to tiredness. I'm told it will end ... eventually.

I had this at the start and made sure I always have biscuits or some chocolate to hand at night especially as it seemed to be middle of the night when i got it or when I got up too quickly. You say you're eating well, but apparently BF burns 4-500 calories extra so I found I needed to eat more than I was already. Oh and BTW forget housework and look after yourself first!

BFing has a HUGE impact on blood sugar levels! I'm diabetic so it affects be even more but your symptoms are those of hypoglyceamia. I bet if you tested your blood sugar at the time it would be low. Make sure you eat a long-acting carb snack a little while before feeding, and have fast-acting carbs to hand while feeding. Lucozade is ideal.

I was eating plenty of extra calories before and after BF because when DS (now 6) and DD (now 5) latched on, I was literally too weak to lift anything. It was like being knocked unconcious. I couldn't lie down while feeding because I couldn't get comfortable and my arms went numb if I leaned on them for more than 5mins.

I found I got a bit better when I gave up BF and went to formula. I did it because I couldn't cope with the constant exhaustion and weakness - I mean, how is a mother supposed to take notice of certain things in their childs development if she spends around 20 out of 24hrs a day sleeping or out of it?

I had a wave of tiredness when I started each feed at when DS was a newborn. It stopped very quickly after a week or so.

You could be anaemic. I felt like this with DD1 and in hindsight I think my iron levels must have been quite low as I lost quite a lot of blood with the birth. I would get a prescription for some iron tablets if I were you and see if it helps at all.

I had it earlier on and now I'm not anaemic and don't get so ravenously hungry all the time, it's stopped.