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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

regular headaches whilst breastfeeding - is this normal

21 replies

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:00

i'm b'feeding a 17 day old baby girl and despite eating & drinking like there is no tomorrow i seem to be getting regular headaches. not during the actual feed (read about oxytocin causing that), but they seem to come on in the morning and then develop throughout the day. has anyone else had experience of what this could be? i am a bit of a migraine sufferer but haven't had them for years! i also had pre-eclampsia and am still on nifedipine to keep my BP stable post birth tho not sure whether thats got anything to do with it either. not sure whether its lack of exercise but can't do much about that as had a c-section. just want the headache to go away !

OP posts:

EllieK · 29/05/2007 23:02

i get headaches but i think that's down to the crying when it takes more than 30 secs for me to get nipple to his mouth

Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:02

i know what you mean! how frustrating is it when they only open wide in completely the opposite direction from your nipple!

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Twinklemegan · 29/05/2007 23:03

I'm no expert but maybe it's hormonal. I got the most unbelievable exhaustion when I was breastfeeding, like pregnancy exhaustion - definitely not lack of sleep tiredness. I put that down to hormones.

EllieK · 29/05/2007 23:04

and then shove their fist in just as they turn the right way!

Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:05

oh yes! don't you just love 'em for it! our nct class showed us how to swaddle in such a way that it tied their hands down into the cloth. feel a bit mean doing it tho!

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teafortwoandtwofortea · 29/05/2007 23:06

Hi BefnalBub. Just about anything can cause a headache. Are they anything like your old migraine headaches? There are some medications that can be used while breastfeeding such as immigran. If you think they may be migraines you can contact the breastfeeding network drugline - they will give you advie on what is safe and provide you with their evidence if necessary so you can take it to your GP. Migraine Action also have a support phone line that you could ring for advice.

EllieK · 29/05/2007 23:09

i did try to swadle ds2, the resulting screaming was awful!

Tommy · 29/05/2007 23:10

even though you are drinking a lot, might it be dehydration? I have to drink about a pint of water for each feed and get a headache if I don't

Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:11

thanks tea - not like migraine - bit more like hangover - tho not drinking!! can't really drink much more water than i am tho - about 2/4 litre every hour as quite thirsty. finding it really getting me down (it would be a different matter if i actually had had a big night out to compensate for it!). have been taking the odd paracetamol and hoping its just being a bit under the weather with hormones and lack of sleep. thought it may be common tho...

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Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:13

lol ellie - thats when you shove in the nipple! i was really surprised when the midwife showed me on how to latch on - the swiftness and the firmness of shoving their face onto the breast!!! seemed a bit cruel but very effective or you end up with them sucking their way on which. is. so. painful. argghh.

OP posts:

Twinklemegan · 29/05/2007 23:14

I'm not sure the MW's shoving their face towards your breast is the conventional way to latch on though...

EllieK · 29/05/2007 23:16

wouldn't work with ds2, he's a rather stroppy baby, if i make him wait too long he will only stop the screams to give me a dirty look, gets so het up he can't suck!

paulaplumpbottom · 29/05/2007 23:17

Are you tensing up at all?

Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:18

quite possibly tense - have begun to find the incessant (ok, 3 hour but it feels incessant) BF a bit of a drag in the last couple of days...

OP posts:

hunkermunker · 29/05/2007 23:19

I get that hangover feeling when I'm tired - it's probably that.

I also had cracking headaches for the first few weeks after the boys were born - I think it's all your hormones scurrying back to the right places and your fluid balance sorting itself out.

Keep drinking, water if possible - it'll make you feel more comfortable.

teafortwoandtwofortea · 29/05/2007 23:19

If they're not migraine-like the other common causes of headache you could consider are tiredness, dehydration and anaemia - all of which are common in a new mum.

If you can, try and get a bit more sleep - even if i'ts just dozing in between feeds. Drink more than what you are already to cover the dehydration 'base' and go to your GP for an iron test. It wouldn't hurt to take spatone or floradix iron supplement and perhaps folic acid to help the absorbtion. If you do take some iron supplements remember not to take it with tea/coffee.

While taking the odd paracetamol isn't harmful by itself, just be aware that as a previous migraineur you are prone to medication overuse or 'rebound' headaches so try not to take it for more that 2/3 days in a row without having a week break in between. There are other painkillers you can use if necessary - see your GP about that.

As a gut feeling - I'd go with tiredness and general recovery from birth - give yourself some credit and a big pat on the back! You did great giving birth and your body really went through hell so give it chance to recover. enjoy your baby girl.

paulaplumpbottom · 29/05/2007 23:20

I used to tense up because I knew it would hurt so bad when she would latch on.

Original poster

BefnalBub · 29/05/2007 23:23

ok - will do the following:
get DP to give me a massage after each BF (after hes done the nappy change), will drink more water, start taking the spatone thats still sitting around in the kitchen, sleep more and ditch the paracetamol. having an action plan makes me feel a bit more control of the headache already ... a big thank you!

OP posts:

paulaplumpbottom · 29/05/2007 23:24

It'll get better don't worry

Springadora · 29/05/2007 23:27

Haven't read whole thread (too idle) but have you tried making sure you have the baby raised up high enough eg on a cushion and that you are supporting your back properly. Plus, if you feed in bed with your arm up it kills the shoulder muscles (ouch!). Plus, lots and lots of water while you are feeding helps.

evenhope · 30/05/2007 14:28

I found that I needed to drink during the night feeds to avoid waking up with a headache first thing.

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