Moms who've weaned- please come in

chuicafina

I met another mom with a DD a few months younger than Q the other day. She told me that she BF for 11 months, but that she was starting to feel extremely weak. So much so that she went to her doctor to have them run tests for thyroid/auto-immune issues, but everything came back normal. She said that as soon as she weaned, she felt 100x better. 

I've been feeling pretty low energy for a while. DS still nurses 4 times a day, and I'm wondering if it's possible that this is taking it's toll on me. My mom had warned me that she felt this way before she weaned me at 6 months (but I brushed it off because she's never been very supportive of extended BFing, so I figured she was biased). I'm wondering how common this is though? I was planning on going until at least 18 months, but am considering drastically reducing BFing now if it will make me feel more like myself.

What are your experiences? 

CarlaAndJames

Are you getting enough vitamins? Still taking a prenatal vitamin, getting enough iron in your diet? Your LO is taking a lot of that out of you, so you need to be making sure you are replenishing it with enough vitamins, calories, and water.

I'll warn you, I actually felt like crap AFTER weaning. I think it was hormonal, It's the closest I've come to feeling baby blues. I was depressed, listless, crying at the drop of a hat. It took me several weeks to readjust to being a mom without being a nursing mom for some reason.

kimbo1216

Hmm...I wonder if it's more mental than truly physical.  I know I was so tired of pumping by the end.  I really did feel drained.  Plus, I think BFing in general makes you more tired because it takes so much more energy.  However, if you are mentall and/or physically at a valley, I would think it would be time to consider weaning.  I know once I stopped pumping, it was such a relief.  I felt better.  I seriously felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.  Again though, I think it was more a mental weight. 

Either way, if you are feeling this way, maybe you should try cutting back and seeing how that makes you feel.  Maybe start offering expressed milk or WCM or something??

chuicafina

CarlaAndJames:

Are you getting enough vitamins? Still taking a prenatal vitamin, getting enough iron in your diet? Your LO is taking a lot of that out of you, so you need to be making sure you are replenishing it with enough vitamins, calories, and water.

I'll warn you, I actually felt like crap AFTER weaning. I think it was hormonal, It's the closest I've come to feeling baby blues. I was depressed, listless, crying at the drop of a hat. It took me several weeks to readjust to being a mom without being a nursing mom for some reason.

No, and you're right...I need to be better about taking vitamins and especially getting iron. I am fine taking prenatal vitamins but HATE taking iron. I'd rather just eat more meat, but that's not in the food budget as a more than once a week thing. 

 Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm still really on the fence about weaning now, but I will do it eventually and it'll be important that I keep in mind the possibility of getting a bit "bluesy." 

LollyBug18

Some of my energy returned as I cut back feedings but I was really feeling it because of being PG. By the time I got down to 2 and then 1 feeding per day, I don't remember noticing a difference in my energy levels once I completely weaned. But I'm still PG so I'm still messed up

Magenta728

Yes, but it's because I was pregnant. It was why I had to wean. I was still BFing many times a day when I got pg. I could not keep up with the demands, and I was near passing out a few times. I think my body could just not maintain the BFing needs, while also meeting the needs of my baby, and oh yeah, my body's own needs.

chuicafina

kimbo1216:

Hmm...I wonder if it's more mental than truly physical.  I know I was so tired of pumping by the end.  I really did feel drained.  Plus, I think BFing in general makes you more tired because it takes so much more energy.  However, if you are mentall and/or physically at a valley, I would think it would be time to consider weaning.  I know once I stopped pumping, it was such a relief.  I felt better.  I seriously felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.  Again though, I think it was more a mental weight. 

Either way, if you are feeling this way, maybe you should try cutting back and seeing how that makes you feel.  Maybe start offering expressed milk or WCM or something??

Sorry for the delay, little man woke up.

 Yes, I think you're right that this is part of it. Like most things, there's probably not just one answer. Even though I would think pumping would be much more mentally exhausting than BFing, I think that in a way, knowing that I can't leave LO is hard at times. Although we have introduced WCW and he really likes it, he would like it to be on top of nursing sessions. 

Also, I'm the kind of person who puts a lot of pressure on myself to get a lot done (and I feel better when I do), so when something (or in my case a toddler) keeps me from feeling productive, that can make me feel less energetic. I've had to do a lot of self talk coming to terms with having a messy house and not finishing all the projects I want to finish. 

chuicafina

Lolly & Magenta...if I were pregnant right now also, phew. I'm tired just thinking about that! 

Magenta- wow about almost passing out. My MIL affectionately refers to her kids as parasites (I know, endearing, right?). But I guess she has a point. :-P

Birdies08

chuicafina:

No, and you're right...I need to be better about taking vitamins and especially getting iron. I am fine taking prenatal vitamins but HATE taking iron. I'd rather just eat more meat, but that's not in the food budget as a more than once a week thing. 

 Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm still really on the fence about weaning now, but I will do it eventually and it'll be important that I keep in mind the possibility of getting a bit "bluesy." 

That is probably it! Low iron makes your tired like no one's business. Like you're wiped out with the flu tired.

I take Nature Made iron supplements before bed every night and have no problem with them. If you don't like the supplements, though, try eating iron enriched cereal- most breakfast cereals have it added. I'm trying to remember other high iron foods- leafy green vegetables, beans, raisins.  

chuicafina

Birdies08:

chuicafina:

No, and you're right...I need to be better about taking vitamins and especially getting iron. I am fine taking prenatal vitamins but HATE taking iron. I'd rather just eat more meat, but that's not in the food budget as a more than once a week thing. 

 Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm still really on the fence about weaning now, but I will do it eventually and it'll be important that I keep in mind the possibility of getting a bit "bluesy." 

That is probably it! Low iron makes your tired like no one's business. Like you're wiped out with the flu tired.

I take Nature Made iron supplements before bed every night and have no problem with them. If you don't like the supplements, though, try eating iron enriched cereal- most breakfast cereals have it added. I'm trying to remember other high iron foods- leafy green vegetables, beans, raisins.  

Raisins, huh? I never knew that one. Thanks for the response. I will try my iron supplement again and maybe chase it with some prunes. :-P

egpitt22

I agree with the PP who mentioned the vitamins.  I was feeling really exhausted and weak about 5 months post-partum, but just assumed it was from chasing 2 kids around and not getting enough sleep.  I went to my doctor for my yearly check; I have blood pressure issues, so they run a full panel of bloodwork every year and the dr. threw in some iron and vitamin D tests since I was BF'ing.  Turned out, I had a severe vitamin D deficiency.  they gave me some whopping doses of that to bring my levels back up, then I continued with a prenatal vitamin, plus a separate vitamin D supplement for the rest of the time I was nursing.

chuicafina

egpitt22:

I agree with the PP who mentioned the vitamins.  I was feeling really exhausted and weak about 5 months post-partum, but just assumed it was from chasing 2 kids around and not getting enough sleep.  I went to my doctor for my yearly check; I have blood pressure issues, so they run a full panel of bloodwork every year and the dr. threw in some iron and vitamin D tests since I was BF'ing.  Turned out, I had a severe vitamin D deficiency.  they gave me some whopping doses of that to bring my levels back up, then I continued with a prenatal vitamin, plus a separate vitamin D supplement for the rest of the time I was nursing.

Sounds like I should schedule my annual physical. I've been vitamin D deficient before, so that's also possible. Thanks for sharing your experience.  

smurf605

I also had to quit breastfeeding because I am pregnant.  I was put on pelvic rest due to a small bleed. Once I quit breastfeeding it cleared right up.  I had heard from many of my co-workers that once you quit breastfeeding, you lose a bunch of "happy" hormones and it can make you pretty down.  I didn't have much of that issue, but probably because I have all of these other pregnancy hormones.  I would also look at diet/vitamins. 

Hope you feel better soon.