Breastfeeding and tiredness

[NicEm]

Hi - just a random question really as I want to keep feeding but was just wondering about others. My DC3 is 10 months and has only been breastfed - it went really well and I haven't had any problems apart from a biting phase around 8 months. She eats 3 or (more!) meals a day and now only feeds on waking and evening sometime. The thing is I am still so mega tired even though she is not sleeping too badly now.

I was just wondering if when I stop BF whether I am likely to feel less tired!!!? I didn't feed for this long with the others and am possibly tired because of everything else going on in my busy life but was just hoping there might be some light at the end of the tunnel!
xx

I don't think breastfeeding made me significantly more tired once I'd gone past the feeding through the night stage. Do you think it might be anything to do with having 3 children?

I only have one DS and am pregnant with DS2. I'm still breastfeeding, but DS only has a long feed in the morning and then random feeds throughout the day as desired. I'm tired, but life is generally tiring. I don't think it is breastfeeding, although I've no idea whether I'd feel slightly better if I gave up. Might be too much effort to give up though, and at the moment I am taking the easy road.

Doesn't breastfeeding produce hormones that make you sleepy? The idea is that you can fall asleep quickly after night feeds and that it forces you to rest. Doesn't do much for you when you have an active toddler too though. Anyway, I've had exactly the same, and I felt loads better when DD1 was a year and slept through the night and was weaned off breastmilk. Hopefully I'll survive DD2's babyhood and have the same revival of my energy.

i think bfing does make you slightly more tired, but only if you don't eat well. having 3 children def makes you tired though. is she sleeping through?

I'm tandem feeding and the sheer weight of calories it takes out of you makes you tired. You need to eat more but more importantly DRINK MORE - to make a pint of breastmilk you apparently need two pints of water (because heat is also produced blah blah blah boring scientific nonsense goes here ).

BTW once DD got to 11 months or so I didn't feel as tired (mainly because she slept more than four hours straight) oh and I got my iron level checked and corrected!

Perhaps you are actually just knackered (very common among mummies that!)

I can't even use a toddler as an excuse! as the others are 6 and 9! I'm fed up of being knackered.. I know i shouldn't moan as I'm sure others have things more difficult but the bags under my eyes are embarrassing....

It's not just bags but really dark circles - I'm only 33 but look like 53....

Get your iron levels checked - although tbh I was knackered for the first 18m!

She slept through from 4-7 months and then got her first cold and it was back to waking 2-3 times per night - just as I went back to work - part-time though but the slack I got for being a new mum had kind of worn off!

She has started sleeping again this week and I'm over the flu from Xmas so was hoping that I would feel a bit more human but each morning I wake up feeling like I'd give anythign to stay in bed!

DH definitely does his bit and it is probably just having 3 kids, money issues and working etc but I'm just dreaming of the day where I wake up feeling refreshed..........!!
x

She slept through from 4-7 months and then got her first cold and it was back to waking 2-3 times per night - just as I went back to work - part-time though but the slack I got for being a new mum had kind of worn off!

She has started sleeping again this week and I'm over the flu from Xmas so was hoping that I would feel a bit more human but each morning I wake up feeling like I'd give anythign to stay in bed!

DH definitely does his bit and it is probably just having 3 kids, money issues and working etc but I'm just dreaming of the day where I wake up feeling refreshed..........!!
x

Oh boy, dark circles. I bet mine could give yours a run for their money. Especially as it's been a while since I was 33... Hm, I'm thinking here that I should be drinking more water and taking the pronatal supplement a bit more regularly...

I don't think it was the bf that tired me out as much as not drinking enough water. Dehydration makes you v tired. Also, you coudl always try a natural iron supplement such as floradix - it tastes quite nice and it's more gentle on your stomach than some of the other iron supplements out there..

I'm eco-friendly me, I have bags for life

The drinking thing could be interesting - I struggle to remember to drink now the thirst of early feeding has gone. Some days I hardly drink at all. I've got some vitamins too that i should perhaps remember to take!

thanks for all your thoughts! I'm def going to stick at BF as long as she wants - not enough energy to do bottles anyway! (better get to sleep now!)
xx

Any tips on bag concealer would also be appreciated!!!..............

Estee Lauder do a really good concealer/brightener.

I found getting dissolvable vits from boots (they tend to be called ENERGY VITAMINS in garish tubes) and adding them with some Spatone to a pint of water in the morning set me on the right track re drinking more. Once you've had a pint with breakfast then all you really need do is having another pint with lunch and dinner and you may find a big difference.

I am definitely more tired when bfing. And more stupid. It gets better as the number of feeds decreases, with a noticeable change when I only do 2 feeds a day (which is also when my periods restart). I am fairly convinced its hormonal.