Finding breastfeeding exhausting

[kittysaysmiaow]

My DS is 13 weeks, all going well with breastfeeding generally, he's putting on plenty of weight and is happy and healthy. I just find BF more physically demanding than I ever imagined. After every feed I feel like the life has been literally sucked out of me. I eat plenty, reasonable diet, lots of protein and have just started taking a bf supplement. Is it just me? Did anyone find anything that boosted their energy levels?

It is tiring - I found eating little and often really helped.mix of protein and carbs plus lots and lots of fluids.

Is he your first? Or are you comparing it to another child you ff?

TBH, when I am knackered, a bit of a sit down makes me feel even worse. Is it possible that that's happening to you? Not so much that bf is exhausting, but that after a feed is when you are noticing?

Just a thought. Others may have more direct experience of the sensation you're describing.

PS his bf demands will go down post growth spurt and when he starts on solids so not too long to go now

Thanks for the replies. Amanda, yes, he is my first baby. I think you have a point about the sitting down thing actually, I hadn't thought of that but perhaps it is when the tiredness catches up with me.

Dinky, yes the current growth spurt isn't helping! He is a very hungry baby generally and has been jumping up through the centiles.

I found it relentless, whilst it was easy and she was a good feeder, it still felt like it was zapping me. I think it's a myth that it's meant to help with weight loss - I piled on weight due to the amount of food I ate to sustain myself - are you sure you are eating enough ? Drink plenty of water too when feeding ?
There's a liquid supplement called Spatone (from memory its iron) I found they helped me a bit.
But, no you're not alone and don't worry.

I've found that I really have to look after myself with regards to sleep, food, drink and rest. If I have a week where I overdo it I just feel rubbish and my su

Supply really dwindles (posted too soon!)

When this happens I just take me and dd to bed and snuggle, sleep and eat and then we're ok! The Nurse at my surgery told me that bf is the same as being pg- your body will make sure baby gets all the good stuff and we get the crap that's left over.

Hi OP, sounds like you need to eat more. Breastfeeding makes you burn calories and if he's a very hungry boy perhaps you're burning your reserves to nourish him. Just a thought!

It can be really draining - I don't really think there is enough advice about taking supplements, etc, for breastfeeding mothers (I've certainly never been given any advice, just a jolly pat on the back for bf).

That said, did you know that when you bf the oxytocin hormone can make you feel sleepy? This has the benefit of helping you get back to sleep after night feeds, but can make you feel really spaced out and sleepy during the day. I found this settled after a few months to a more chilled rather than drained feeling, but can be disconcerting at first.

It's bloomin hard work! I expected to be back to normal by 12 weeks (pffftttt!!) so was surprised it took nearer 5/6 months to find my groove of eating enough/ sleeping in the day if necessary and generally looking after myself. I also found my hormones settled at about 6 moths and that helped too. I hate to say it but I didn't really feel I had enough energy till I stopped bf (after 13 months!). Second spatone and also appreciating your giving your body a break.

Spatone is a really good idea. I will get some tomorrow. And I will eat more! I do eat a lot but could try harder - tend to snack a lot as running around after DS.

Schmee, I had forgotten that about the oxytocin. When I first started bf I thought there was probably a lot of it in my milk as DS used to be completely knocked out after a feed.

Minicc, that's good to hear that things settled down a bit in time.

It is bloody knackering though, glad I'm not the only one. No one mentioned how tired it makes you!

Having a baby is knackering however you feed it! Can someone give you a break for a bit, maybe take him around the block in a pram/sling? Could you nap with him in the afternoon?

It does get easier :)

Are you getting plenty of fresh air? Getting out made me feel better. Don't push yourself though.

Oh, and I had dd by Caesarian, and I'd had a load of morphene and was on a cocktail of pain killers - I was high as a kite for a few weeks til they'd worn off! I'd feed dd, hand her over to dp and I'd sleep for the twit here hours between each feed.

have you tried feeding lying down in bed? it can be less of a strain on your back and shoulders and means you get a little rest.

I'm in my local la leche league fb grp and a mum posted that she'd been prescribed vit b 12 by her doc as it helps with bfing plus wind in baby - vit b complex does help with energy too. it's water soluble so excess is weed out. berocca has lots (tho asda s version cheaper and no asparteme). try taking a bf multi vit (boots one is good and cheaper than pregnacare) I'm also having the odd half tablet of berocca in water. the llll leader checked all the ingredients etc andsaid it was fine. she was going to post the research link but didn't in the end.

the only other thing is that pregnancy affects thyroid function which can wobble afterwards. it can correct itself or sometimes does not. we need iodine in our diet to help support thyroid function but actually need a bit more during preg and even more when bf. however too much iodine is bad too so don't take seaweed supplements as it can cause more harm. my cousin s wife researches iodine at Glasgow and I have thyroid probs. she gave me some advice when pregnant. good sources of iodine are yogurt and fish - esp haddock.
this is what she told me:
www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/fsis0208.pdf. "the normal person requires 140 ug of iodine per day. This can be achieved by eating a couple of yoghurts per day. Other good sources include sea fish, seafood (fine in pregnancy as long as cooked through from frozen (or really fresh) and usually well tolerated). in pregnancy you need 250 ug a day" -

and.I've read elsewhere a tad more when bf. so it can't hurt to try a supplement.

get a thyroid check if you still feel so tired. other symptoms can be feeling v cold and a fuzzy head - my thinking goes very mushy when I'm underactive! you can feel really low too but ime it's due to constantly being tired and not thinking straight which is enough to make anyone low. struggling to loose weight is also a symptom but I'm quite slim and only ever notice a difference of a few pounds which is prob mostly water retention, as your metabolism is slowed down.

hope you feel better soon :)

my ds is 13 wks too :)

Magnesium supplements can be good when breastfeeding as well - I was sleeping really fitfully even when baby allowed it and then read that your magnesium requirements are quite a bit higher than normal when pregnant and BF.

Just wrote a big reply and lost it! Thanks for all the advice clarella I am going to try feeding lying down again this aft, I couldn't get the knack of it but I think it is worth another try as if DS is sleepy after a feed then I will be able to make the most of it! I have just started taking a bf supplement but will bear in mind about iodine and magnesium in particular-thank you.

it is lovely though I think my lo is getting a bit too used to it which isn't good in public!!