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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Does breast feeding make you physically knackered?

15 replies

BethAndHerBrood · 14/09/2006 17:57

Hi, My baby is 9weeks old, exclusively breastfed. For the last couple of weeks I have got proggressively more tired, but I sleep well, DS sleeps through, has done for a while now, and is easy to cope with during the day.

Hadn't really thought anything of it untill the last couple of days when I drop off to sleep every time I sit down! Is it normal "after baby tiredness" caused by the feeding, or is it something else?

OP posts:
trinityshiftingherleatheryarse · 14/09/2006 18:03

I am exactly the same after my babies, I think it is perfectly normal having not long given birth and breastfeeding does take alot out of you. When you think about it you are making milk, so i would have thought thats quite a big job for the body

One thing thoiugh, make sure you are drinking like a fish cause when bf you need much more fluid than normal and not haviong enough fluid in your body can make you tired.your baby is only 9 weeks old, really very young so it'll probably improve in a ittle while
hope you feel less exhaussted soon

Quootiepie · 14/09/2006 18:06

makes me exhausted if I dont eat and drink enough... I was told to eat an extra 1000 calories a day (!!) and plenty of carbs.

Original poster
BethAndHerBrood · 14/09/2006 18:12

an extra 1000 calories a day !!!! Crikey!!

Maybe need to drink more, see if that helps. Anything imparticular do you think, or just more?

OP posts:
Quootiepie · 14/09/2006 18:13

drink plenty of water.... plenty plenty plenty.

spagbol · 14/09/2006 18:43

You could be anaemic. Get some iron tabs or eat liver and steak with spinach and drink oj.

mamijacacalys · 14/09/2006 18:59

Agree with Quootiepie. Drink loads!

Don't know many additional calories you should have though - I know I must be back to below my pre-preg weight as all jeans are loose, despite jelly belly (obviously not tops though as boobs are humungous!) Feel like I eat like a horse (3 meals a day plus snacks) and I still get hunger pangs sat in bed during the dawn feed!

DD is 10 wks and I don't feel quite as knackered as the early days as she is sleeping slightly more in the night (6 hrs as opposed to 4) but still get the odd day when feel more tired than usual (also have 4 yr old DS to look after).

So I would say to eat as much as your body tells you to and drink loads.

fullmoonfiend · 14/09/2006 19:01

yes, i remember feeling totally drained until I conciously made an effort to eat extra calories and drink plenty of water. Anaemia is another possibility - talk to your HV or midwife about this.

lockets · 14/09/2006 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

dinny · 14/09/2006 19:05

3 kids, hon (in short time!)

Holidaymum · 14/09/2006 19:05

It knackered me! Then found out I was anaemic and it got better used to munch on dried apricots as I fed (iron rich and easy!)

alibobble · 15/09/2006 11:35

I had to give up BF due to the tiredness. Was drinking pints of water and acres of food but was still at death's door. HAd been v ill inpregnancy tho so weighed less when dd was born than before. (8st) which didn't leave much calories or fat for milk! Hope you do better than me. Feel much better for giving up and have put on a stone!

cheesyneck · 16/09/2006 10:54

I was told by our bf advisor that the hormone prolactin released during breastfeeding makes you feel more tired. think its designed to encourage sleep and relaxation so you get a better nights sleep.

suzi2 · 16/09/2006 19:42

I always thought that it did as I was exhausted and run down for the whole time that I breastfed DS. However, he stopped feeding a couple of months ago and I'm still exhausted and run down. I think it's just having a baby TBH

katyjo · 16/09/2006 20:14

Hi Beth hope you are feeling better, I read on another thread that bf uses the same amount of energy as mining! don't know if its true, but I certainly felt knackered!

I think that it is your body's way of telling you to take it easy, so relax put your feet up ignore ironing, cleaning and anything else. Concentrate on you and your baby and enjoy good books and chocolate cake you'll feel better soon it took me until ds was about 3 months before I started to feel normal again. XX

needhugs · 16/09/2006 20:45

I think it's around the 9-12 week periode when the babies have a sudden growth spurt ad started feeding more - I bf both my boys and I although the first 3 months are knackering anyway, there are times when the BF is more tiring. I agree with the drinking loads, and having good diet. If it's your first baby make sure you sleep as much as you can when he does, esp. just after the feeds so you can recover. Not so easy with the second, my milk went after 4 months with second as I was simply exhausted from lack of sleep and an emotional wreck!!! Hardly ever had a moment when the two slept at the same time, nightmare! (1st was 20 months when I had N°2).

It does get easier when the feeds space out baby sleeps all night! 9 weeks BF is already brilliant, if you can't carry on baby will be fine, don't feel guilty! Good luck. xx

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