Iron deficiency and nursing mothers

[suzi2]

I have been feeling rough for the last few weeks, feeling very pregnant in fact but know it's a slim to none possibility. Anyway, the Dr did bloods (incl hcg) on Monday and I got a call this evening to say I'd been prescribed iron though I'm not anaemic. The Dr wants to discuss in person though.

It has been suggested to me by a few people (medical professionals included) that my iron levels could be low due to breastfeeding DD (16 months, 2 feeds a day) and that she's 'taking it all'. Any truth in this? TBH, she's really give or take on the feeds now and whilst I would love to feed her for longer, if I'm going to feel this crap all the time and stopping would cure it I'd probably stop.

It's true if there's haemoglobin in breast milk. I doubt it though.

If you weren't getting enough iron in your diet, then maybe bfing would be enough just to tip you over the edge into anaemia. But two feeds a day is unlikely to do that anyway, so if you want to continue bfing, go ahead.

But you aren't anaemic, so unless your ferritin levels are low enough to cause concern (ie that you were keeping your hb up, but running out of iron stock) all that iron tablets will do is make you constipated.

HCPs are generally very badly educated about breastfeeding, and when you get into the realm of 'extended' breastfeeding, people are very happy to blame absolutely everything on it.

eeerrr??? don't we also here from HCP's that there isn't enough iron iron in breastmilk for babies which is why we constantly hear that they want us to supplement/introduce food??? - they can't have it both ways!

Sorry that you feel cr*p, but there is no reason that breastfeeding is causing it, especially NOT stippping you of iron, especially if your hcg is good.

I went to the doctors the other week feeling very very run down, they did blood tests and everything was bang on, including iron. I had fatigue like I did when I was pg with my first but no pregnant.
Doctor insisted I had some "me time" and relaxed.

I'm pg and just started takign spatone for tiredness and have found it helps a great deal
it's a good idea to take a regular supplement for breastfeeding women IMO if you are feeding your child - not essential by any means, but can help you keep feeling as healthy as possible
there is iron in breastmilk - the HVs are wrong

but just generally being a woman and menstruating and so on is enough to make some women slightly low in iron - being pg and breastfeeding is thus partly protective of our iron stores

Yes Franney I know, just be a bit sarky

Many women with small children get a little bit run down whether they are breastfeeding or not. Simply because it can be such hard work to look after a small child!

Agree with franny about spatone or something similar.

you are quite right though Place and I never thought of it like that before

That really does sound like a lot of rubbish. I have something slightly odd about my haemoglobin, cannot tolerate even the slightest degree of anaemia (what for others is borderline, makes me ill). I bfd one child to 2y, and am still bfing another several times a day at 20m yet never suffered any anaemia once I had recovered from the pregnancies.

I very much doubt that the breastfeeding is responsible for how you are feeling.

What the OP was told re extended bfing, not what F&Z and Place have been saying!

?
if she's losing iron through breastfeeding, then there must be iron in breastmilk, surely?

or is it just seeping out through her pores somehow?

Oh LOL I misread too! sorry PC

Thanks everyone. I doubted that breastfeeding was the cause. Just thought it was worth a thought.

I spoke to the Dr receptionist today and she said that my ferritin serum (or something) was low on the tests. It's very odd as I've never had the slightest bit of bother with iron levels ever. Not during either pregnancy, nor when I was veggie for 15 years and ate a cr*p diet. I now eat LOADS of beef as I can't get enough of it, so I'm not sure how I can't be getting enough.