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Tiredness and breastfeeding

I'm exhausted all the time, never have any energy.
Is this normal for a mum of a 6 month old (who doesn't sleep through every night yet!) or is it down to the extra pressure breastfeeding puts on my body? My mum is convinced it is, as her doctor advised her to stop feeding me when i was a baby because she was so tired and run down.

Replies

  • Raising a child can be tiring and a baby even more so - whether you're breastfeeding or not. Maybe you need to figure out what is really tiring you out and deal with the problem rather than presuming it's bf-ing.. Maybe you need to organsie your day / time better. Get into a more time efficient routine. Look at everything. I in fact feel bf-ing relaxes me, gives me time to put my feet up and be alone with my baby... so you need to think about all the things in your day..
  • I agree with SRM that when you are breastfeeding it is sometimes the only time you get to sit down!!
    I think you will be tired to some extent anyway, I know I was especially tired with my first 2 who didn't sleep through the night until they were over a year. Sometimes I think that I take the more difficult path with everything ie breastfeeding and have been known to get a bit envious when my bottle feeding friends babies have slept through from early on. However, my boys both stopped bfeeding at 8 and 11 months and still didn't sleep through then my 3rd, was an angel from the start and although she woke 2 or 3 times in the night she just fed then went straight back to sleep.What I'm saying is that it may or may not make a difference stopping bf but after feeling really tired for years I am still bf my 15 month old and she sleeps brilliantly through the night now so I have more energy with 3 children than I ever did with my first 2.
    I had chronic fatigue before my first baby and as it was when ME was a bit iffy nothing was properly diagnosed but I just changed my lifestyle and limited what I did. I got to know what made me more tired and made sure I got enough rest. You should do the same.
    All of my 3 children had day time sleeps, the first 2 until they started school!!! This lo still has 2 naps, one in the morning when I tidy up and one at lunchtime when I have a rest too. They never cried and just knew it was /is sleep time (routines have always helped me manage my tiredness better too) and were all contented babies.
    One other thing is to maybe get a thyroid function test done to rule out a thryoid problem which can cause tiredness. Hope that helps a bit xx
  • it could also be anemia? If you go to your docs and get them to take a blood sample for it they can prescribe iron tablets - i had to take them until Ollie was about 4 months old.

    ~Are you eating and drinking enough?

    when i was bf it was the best time to just relax. is anyone helping you around the house??

    xxx
  • yeah aneamia is horrid had it with lo but caught it early n just neede to up my iron intake and vitamin c as it helps u absorb the iron better. id look at ur diet u may need more slow release energy foods like wholemeal bread pastas n brown rice?? my mum stopped bf her youngest as people said it was making her ill n so she stopped n it didnt help infact it got worse as she was up half the night upset cos she wasnt ready to give up n feeling guilty as joe got v bad tummy because the formula didnt agree with him. id see ur dr or bf councillor (i keep hearing people bang on about them but so far havent managed to find one to talk to). hope this gets better xxxxxxxx
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