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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Anyone given up breastfeeding due to fatigue?

24 replies

TheBlonde · 12/12/2007 18:25

GP has suggested I might feel better if I stop bf
I am past the 6mth mark but fed DS beyond a year. Of course I could give up and feel no better...

OP posts:
moondog · 12/12/2007 18:27

Exactly
The thought of washing bottles and buying formula sounds pretty bloody fatiguing to me.
Bear in mind also that the average GP knows __fuck-- all very little about breastfeeding.

Looking after babies is hard work whatever you do.However,the b/feeding does get less damanding as they take more food.

llareggub · 12/12/2007 18:29

I'm shattered but I'm not sure if it is linked to breastfeeding. But I guess it could be. Is there medical evidence to suggest that it is? My DS is 13 months.

moondog · 12/12/2007 18:30

I was completley exhausted for a good 18 months after giving birth.
I never felt that breastfeeding was the sole reason.If anything it gave me an excuse to put my feet up and have a rest...

TotalChaos · 12/12/2007 18:31

has GP taken bloods to check whether you might have underactive thyroid or be a bit anaemic?

chibi · 12/12/2007 18:31

I don't know if this could be it, but perhaps you may be slightly anemic? I am, and felt more 'with it' once I started taking iron pills.

FioFio · 12/12/2007 18:32

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FioFio · 12/12/2007 18:33

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vitomum · 12/12/2007 18:33

i basically did after 6 months cos i was so fed up off broken sleep. i see now i could have done it differently. why do you think the bf is causing your fatigue?

llareggub · 12/12/2007 18:34

The soles of my feet hurt for a good 6 months post-birth. Isn't that weird? They hurt for about 10 minutes after getting up in the morning.

I reckon my fatigue is linked more to the fact my son wakes up at 6am without fail and I still haven't got into the habit of going to bed earlier to compensate.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 12/12/2007 18:35

If you were posting this when your baby was 6 weeks old I would say that it could cause fatigue - but there are things you can do, primarily looking at your diet.

Washing, sterlising bottles, then making bottles has to be the crappest job ever. It is mundane and never ending.

Carry on the bf'ing, you've done so well!

Original poster
TheBlonde · 12/12/2007 18:37

I am taking a multivit and iron plus B12 jabs every 2 mths for anaemia.
I am taking thyroixine they have just dropped my dose slightly to 125 mcg

OP posts:
FrayedKnot · 12/12/2007 18:38

Nearly - on several occasions. But I did keep plodding on with it in the end, because I thought it would be such a huge shame to waste the opportunity - for both me and DS. After 12 months DS dropped down to 1-2 feeds a day, and stopped waking at night at 13 months, and both those things helped immensely.

I did discover afterwards that my thyroid levels at fallen massively and because I had moved and changed Dr no-one had picked up on it, so I think that was the main problem, not BF.

So definitely, definitely get your bloods done

inzidoodle · 12/12/2007 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

vitomum · 12/12/2007 18:43

sounds like you've answered your own question

vitomum · 12/12/2007 18:45

ooops, ignore last post. responded to wrong post.

Original poster
TheBlonde · 12/12/2007 18:49

Thanks all, I had bloods done only a couple of weeks ago
DD has slept through from about 3 mths

Maybe I am just expecting to feel more energised than is possible with 2 under 3!

OP posts:
MumtoBen · 14/12/2007 19:30

Hi TheBlonde
Sorry to hear you're feeling tired. I'm in the same situation at the moment. DD2 is 6 months old this week. I had my bloods done and they are all normal. It's got to the point where I have nearly fainted several times when out and feel faint in the evenings just sitting watching TV. My GP has told me there is nothing physically wrong with me and it is probably due to the fact I am old to be having babies (was 33 when I had DD2)! Or I could be depressed - I am not.

How many feeds are you doing now? I am still doing about 7. DD2 is a very easy baby so I too expected to have more energy by now. I'm considering cutting down or stopping. I'm going to see if weaning cuts down the number of feeds first. Have you started weaning yet?

moondog · 14/12/2007 19:32

Old at 33???
Another GP talking shite.Wot a surprise.

MumtoBen · 14/12/2007 19:36

I did laugh to myself when I heard that!

suzi2 · 14/12/2007 20:31

It's something I consider a lot. I always felt fatigued when feeding DS but then feeding him overlapped with being pg with DD so the fatigue never left me really. And he didn't sleep through until age 15 months.

Now with DD... she's 10 months and I am feeding her a lot. I'm a wreck, physically and often mentally, but I think it's due to lack of sleep rather than feeding as such. Of course, feeding every 90 mins during the night to get her back to sleep will do that to you! I sometimes wonder that if I just wasn't available for feeding then she'd have to learn another way to settle. But so far us trying things (including me being out of the house for hours!) hasn't worked. Maybe giving up would help, maybe it wouldn't. And I can't risk still feeling as crap but not breastfeeding as it's important to me she's fed as long as possible.

I agree it's tough - it would be crap to give up and feel no better so I would stick it out until nearer the 1 yr mark and hope the feeding cuts down a lot once you're on solids. I keep telling myself "it's only a few years of your life" and that keeps me going. Oh, and I reckon toddlers are more energy zapping than anything. My DS (2.4) exhausts me just watching him!

Original poster
TheBlonde · 14/12/2007 21:22

MumtoBen - at your GP!

I am probably doing 5-6 feeds a day now
She's getting 3 meals a day now too
I admit she did have 3 oz of formula today in starbucks as I couldn't face attempting to bf and keep DS under control!

I think maybe I need to try and improve my diet to see if that helps
More veg less choc etc

OP posts:
beakysmum · 14/12/2007 21:46

Hithere The Blonde....

I am debating the same question in my mind. We are in really similar positions; easy DD who slept through from 3 months, hard work DS who is nearly 3yrs. And I am 33!

I feel exhausted too. I know having two under 3yrs is hard work, but I think I feel worse than this. Went to see GP this week and she said tiredness is to be expected or consider antidepressants.

Dunno what the answer is, but am glad to know I'm not alone.

All the best, what ever you decide....

MumtoBen · 15/12/2007 22:17

I am amazed you are brave enough to attempt going into starbucks with a baby and a toddler. I wouldn't even consider it on my own.
Did you feel less tired after giving up bf before? I can't really answer whether stopping bf with Ds1 gave me more energy as I had chicken pox and had no energy for months anyway. I know that DS1 was having 1 litre of formula a day when I stopped bf(plus 3 meals) which I would think must take a fair bit of energy to produce.
I am fortunate that I only have to look after my 2 sons on my own for 2 days a week which is why I am surprised I don't have more energy. Other than my husband we don't ever had any help from anyone, so maybe this is contributing.

Original poster
TheBlonde · 15/12/2007 22:24

beakysmum - hope you feel better soon too

MumtoBen - I stopped bf DS when I was around 8-12 weeks pregnant with DD. It was only when I got to 22 weeks they realised I had low B12.

DS is at a preschool nursery 5 mornings (term time) so I have some respite but I still feel I should feel better

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