breastfeeding when i am not eating

[claraenglish]

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Your supply will not be affected by what you are eating. Your health will though. Don't worry about your boobs being soft. I am exclusively feeding a 25 week old and my boobs are always soft. She is thriving, off the charts in weight and length. You really do need to try and eat little and often. I had no appetite at all after giving birth and ate a sparrow's diet. Eventually I worked out that I was dehydrated. I need at least 4 litres of water a day to exclusively feed and to feel normal.

Stock up on what you fancy and don't worry about 'grazing'. I spent about 12 weeks just eating little and often. Also consider drinking smoothies. Lots of fruit, goodness and liquid at the same time.

Good luck. You're doing really well (have seen you on here the last couple of days). You keep feeding your lo and things will be fine with your dp I'm sure.

Congratulations.

The amount you're eating shouldn't affect your supply, but it will affect the way you feel. You should try and eat small meals, or maybe regular snacks?

It is really normal for a tiny baby t want to feed loads in the first few weeks. It's how they build up your supply. The best thing to do is to feed him on demand. They seem to like feeding a lot in the evenings (I think it's called cluster feeding).

Clara - have you spoken to midwife about this.

What type of birth did you have? Were there complications?
You could be unwell with something unrelated to the birth maybe?

I seem to remember bfing gave me quite a big appetite, so this doesn't sound normal.

for you, but congratulations on your lovely son xx

Yes good point about dehydration, that can make you feel very shaky. Drink lots of water.

Your boobs may well be soft because your DD is draining them? Does she ever go a few hours without feeding (she might not! that's normal at this point!) ? And if she does, are your boobs hard then?

How is your DD's weight? Is she producing lots of wet nappies, and lots of dirty ones?

The appetite thing does sound odd, is there anything you want? Smoothies are a good idea, but anything to build up your strength is good.

hi clara,

do take care of yourself, because whatever your body needs to produce milk, it will be taken from the resources for yourself if there isnt any extra. for example, if you dont have extra calcium to produce milk, your body will get it from your own bones. same goes for protein, if you dont have extra, it will be taken from your muscles.

in the short term, it will make you feel better if you eat better (as someone already said here), and in the long term, you wont have any health issues yourself.

its serious business what we eat while breastfeeding. i find it appalling how we dont get any guidance about it after the delivery.

a bowl of fortified cereal in the morning is already a good start, it contains lots of the nutrients we need. a few pieces of cheese here and there, slices of bread, meat or combined food that generates protein, will put you on the right track. veggies and fruits, as much as you can (i find really hard eating fruits because they dont taste so nice here in england, i go for a spoon of dried fruits with my cereal). just keep in mind that we need to eat from all food groups.

are you feeling down? usually when im down i dont feel like eating either, its terrible.

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Clara I really feel for you at the moment. Do try and eat little and often just to keep your energy levels up. Toast and fruit is is just fine.

Breast feeding can be hard in the beginning and its usual to be constant at times. You are doing a fantastic job and I hope things get easier for you soon.

What sling are you using? You will get used to it after a while. Sorry to hear about your dp, I can imagine this would make you feel low.

What sling are you using? A coorie is fantastic for feeding in. I loved mine and dh has one too which he used to death. I now have an almighty sling collection. Get the right sling and it makes the world of difference.

My dd seemed to feed all the time as a little baby. We co-slept so that I could feed her lying down and she could help herself. We still co-sleep and she feeds 2 hourly but she is a 22lb 25 week old so needs her sustenance.

I would get the once over to make sure you're ok. I was very anaemic after the birth (also a homebirth transfer) and this can completely ruin your appetite. Are you taking a vitamin tablet? This will help you get essential vitamins you are missing while you aren't eating and if you get one with iron then if you are anaemic then it will help with that. Sanatogen Pronatal is great and designed for pregnancy and breastfeeding. I would also recommend lots of iron in your diet too once you're hungry or a natural liquid supplement like spatone which you put in some orange juice. Anaemia kills your appetite, makes you tired and shaky, emotional and drained. Most of this you may feel anyway!

Could you put the baby in a sling/pushchair and go for a wander round the supermarket, see if anything at all takes your fancy. In the early days I ate mushy peas, corn on the cob, yoghurt and flapjacks like they were going out of fashion. I also drank lots and lots and lots of lucozade. Oh and I hear you on the middle of the night thirst. I get through 2 litres of water through the night. Drink drink drink drink drink, more than you think you will ever need.

Demand is often pretty constant in the first few weeks, and if your baby is that way it's not at all unusual for your breasts not to get that rock-hard feeling (mine didn't, and I'm still bf DS now at 2.9).

If you fancy yogurt, get lots of yogurt -- good combination of protein + fat + carbs (OK, not complex carbs, so it could be better, but it's a start). Agree with the wander round supermarket and buy anything that you think you might fancy point as well. Are you taking a multivitamin? That should help you keep your levels topped up while your appetite sorts itself out.

I had no appetite after birth, and lost a lot of weight but it didn't affect my milk coming in or producing it. If it wasn't for my family making me the worlds hugest salads to snack I would have lost more. I think just go with what you fancy. If you are getting on with toast how about fruit bread/tea cakes with butter on it, I rely on this as snack food, its sort of bland but comforting. Or you could try small cheeses or something you can just pick up and nibble on.

clara, your lack of food will not affect your bf, but it is not normal to be this lacking in appetite, or to have to drink a lot at night. You ask why no one warns you about this but they don't because it is not normal! It could be you are very thirsty at night because you are allowing yourself to become under-nourished and under-hydrated in the day.

IMO you should see a midwife or a doctor before Sunday and get yourself checked out. There may be medical or psychological reasons for your lack of appetite.

The situation with your DP, from what little you've said, sounds like the sort of thing that could destroy your appetite. I know that if I am stressed enough, I become unable to eat.

If you want support and advice about that, you might want to start a thread in Relationships about it? Alternatively, you might want to talk to your GP or the Samaritans for in-person professional support. Sooner rather than later sounds wise.

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I have never ever tried to use a buggy or pram on a bus -- just too much of a nightmare concept. Just take him out in the sling if you need to catch a bus.

I too had an uncharacteristic loss of appetite after the birth of DS. It turned out I had a womb infection. I agree that you should get checked out by a GP or your MW.

But given the problems you are having with your DH at the moment, it might just be the stress you are under. Be kind to yourself.

Why not get a grocery delivery online from tesco or somewhere and make sure to put in plenty of nibbly things.

I had no appetie for a god two or three weeks after birth - big shop after eating like a horse whilst pregnant!

Midwife reckoned in was lack of iron, being on antibiotics and just generally my body havng gone through trauma.

So sorry about your troubles with partner. Hope he's not being an arse

Eat what ever the hell you fancy - wont effecct milk (starving women in developing countries have supply) More likely to be stress.

P.S. If its the middel of the night and you're wrecked and it feels like the only thing you can do : don';t feel guilty about a bit of formula now and again.... Didn;t affect my milk at all.

Clara

I'd echo those saying get yourself checked out by the midwife or doc - to reassure you if nothing else. I was exactly the same as you in terms of grub and it turned out I had a mild infection.

Whwn I couldn't even face roast potatoes, I knew something was up!!

The GP said the infection could have explained the lack of appetite. As soon as it cleared up, I was hungry again.

Hope you feel better soon. I'm sorry about your DH - I hope it's a temporary thing.