Breastfeeding and eating

[funnyvalentine]

Anyone else struggling to eat properly while breastfeeding? DS is 6mo and I have an older toddler too so am on the go a lot. I eat 3 meals plus snacks in the daytime (and drink too!) but I often seem to get it wrong and end up really hungry, or I suddenly come over shaky from not enough food. I also get serious sugar cravings, which I've never had before!

Normally I have a reasonably healthy diet and I maintain a healthy weight without trying too hard. I know the answer is to eat more often, just wondering how others manage?

Sorry no helpful advice but will watch as having same difficulty. Bf'ing 5 week old. Actually had visual disturbance once which i guess was low blood sugar as resolved when I ate a mars bar!!

Only strategy so far is very easy to grab & eat items such as bananas and cartons of smoothie or yoghurt drink. Often end up eating lots of sweet things though and not a lot of "proper food" during day when DH is at home.

When DH is at work even

Aim for carbs and protein for slow energy release and lots of snacks - oatcakes and peanut butter, toast and slice of turkey, apple and cheese plus rice cake, pitta bread and houmous etc - to try to keep blood sugar levels constant and drink lots of fluids. On dc3 and only just cracked it this time!

mildred sorry to hear you're suffering too, but reassuring to hear someone else is having similar problems.

dinky good advice, thanks! Finding it hard to stick with through the sugar cravings but I know that eating junk isn't going to help.

This evening I've eaten chickpea/cauliflower curry and rice, then 2 slices toast (wholemeal), then some jellybabies, and then an egg sandwich (to stave off the chocolate cravings!) that's closer to a whole day's food and still feeling a bit hungry too it's a never ending hunger!

Yep! DD is 7m and I can't keep up with her demands. I try to eat when she eats- solids and milk.

Having the same problem here...I thought it was just me being weird and not coping..normally I love my food!

Yep me too! I am starting to get ill because I'm dehydrated as I don't drink enough water too I've had a really bad headache for the past 2 days. I'm just too busy sorting dd out with feeds etc and forget to drink/eat enough.

I am also very shaky, this is what the nhs don't warn you. You have to eat really well. Or if you're not having good meals and snacks you need to have a sandwich and choc bar with you all the time. Carbs with proteins like eggs, meat and enough fats to helps balance your sugars, for me butter and also some sunflower oil. I say eat what you feel like as your body is asking for it. To add to this I feel my 3 month old is extra windy on dairy but to get enough calories without dairy is difficult and I end up feeling like I'm made of paper. I'm sure it's well worth it but at the same time I need to stay well enough to look after my son. At the mo I may try a teat, maybe I've left it too late but it would be good to have that on the backburner in case breastfeeding becomes too difficult. Good luck everyone xxxxxx

You HAVE to take care of yourself - make sure you eat and drink (doesnt need to be much) when the baby does. Mrshen1 - I had to go dairy free for DC3 - I found eating lots of avocadoes and smoked salmon helped keep my fat levels/calories up. Pure is a good butter substitute - there's some good dairy free threads in the allergies section.

Thank you I will try the smoked salmon and avocadoes. I'm taking SpaTone for iron as I lost a lot of blood at birth. I think I need to slow down and although I want to go to playgroups and things I'll have to put feeding first.

DD is 12 weeks and ebf, and I'm shocked by the hunger. I'm ravenous all the time. When she was waking on the night id be so hungry I felt sick.

I have a bottle of water with me at all times, eat large portions at meal tomes and plenty of regular snacks.

I've decided this isn't a good time to diet!

I'm sure I read somewhere that breast feeding needs about an extra 500 calories so effectively another meal.
Just remember that sometimes baby may need to wait 5mins while you eat/grab something you can eat. It was one of the first things my mum told me. Baby may scream but won't starve. If you don't eat you could faint and drop baby. Have you tried batch cooking things like pasta to defrost and eat while feeding?

Also I find nuts are a great snack to ke energy levels up

It's definitely reassuring to hear that others are finding it difficult too :) I've taken to eating 2 breakfasts, having one as a more substantial mid-morning snack seems to be working well.

I always thought the 500 extra calories was true, but looking online I've seen estimates of babies needing closer to 700 calories at 6mo. Presumably if baby is only just weaning, then all those extra calories come from me?

Another thing to try its get some kind of sling to put baby in once they're fed and changed. Also handy for getting out to baby group etc in between feeds!

DS2 used to settle for a good while in a stretchy wrap so I could make a decent lunch for me and his brother. It just gave a wee break on those days where it seemed like a constant cycle of nappies and feeds!

Stretch wrap good for little babies, a buckle carrier like Manduca

Out

Or Connecta or Ergo can be good when they're older.

I found a big difference from DS1 who I struggled to put down and being able to get on a bit with DS2 in the sling. :)