Running on Empty

With 2 under 2, I found myself running on empty, too. Then I started to have chest pains. I called my doctor and she order complete blood work ups. I found out that my iron levels were almost completely depleted. She also ordered me to get more sleep - my hubby, too. Now, I TRY to sleep more, take a multi vitamin and iron and I am starting to feel a little more energized. Well, as much as you can with two little ones! Hope you get feeling charged up really soon!

I was the same way. My doctor told me to eat 5 servings of fruit and veggies and whole fiber foods and not too skip meals. When you are nursing, you are taking all of the nutrition out of your body. You need to eat more food (healthy/hearty) and drink at least 8 glasses of water. You should not be thinking about dieting either. I hope this helps you. It sure made a difference for me!

Have you told your Dr. yet? Some woman after giving birth have a low thyroid count or are missing a type of vitamin. Vitamins are very important after birth too, also are you drinking enough? Eating and drinking are very inportant. I mean water or juice, tea decaf, coffee decaf. Did you drink regular coffee before you got pregnant? A.

A cup of coffee is o.k....and do you have any family around? You NEED some help. Make sure you sleep when she sleeps.

It sounds like you have low iron. I felt that way when I had my daughter. I felt weak and had no energy, like I was going to pass out. My doctor diagnosed me with anemia (low iron in the blood). I ended up taking iron pills and felt better in a short time. After having a baby, your body goes through major changes. Please tell your doctor how you are feeling that's the best place to start. But, in terms of food, now, I didn't breastfeed my kids I bottle fed, so I don't know how this would affect your milk;, but whenever I felt low on energy, I drank orange juice and that perked me right up. I also ate baked beans, pork and beans, spaghetti--those foods gave me fiber and increased my energy level.

I hope you feel better,

MC

take your prenatal vitiams and drink lots of v8 juice and sleep when she sleeps. Have some one come over so you can laid down and get some rest

Hi A., Congratulations on your 9 week old daughter. Motherhood can be very tiring at times. The way I handled it was not to put too much pressure upon myself to be supermom and do too much. On the days that you feel more tired than others, lay down and rest the minute your daughter falls asleep for her naps and at bedtime. This will build your strength and after several days of doing this, your energy will increase and then you can do more and give more to your family. It worked for me.

All the best to you,
M. M.

A. I know this is going to sound crazy and you will say how will I find the time and energy, but working out will give you energy. It doesn't have to be a lot or a hard workout. Walking jogging sit-up etc.. Working out gets your energy levels up and will help you feel better. Now you just have to find a little energy to motivate your self. Good Luck.

It is normal to be tired ( I feel alseep on the toliet once) but you would not be weak and about to pass out. Go see your dr. You may be anemic or need a vitamin supplement or something. Breast feeding takes a lot out of you (as does having a baby) but your symptoms are more than just mommy fatigue.

Good luck.

Get checked for Anemia Pronto! And get the blood work do diagnose Post Partum Thyroiditis. Anemia can make you tired and weak as can Thryroid issues (thyroid issues can actually cause physical weakness especially in your arms)

sounds like your blood pressure might be low, how much iron are you eating? you might want to talk to your dr. about possible supplements
make sure you're getting enough water and plenty of sleep

Hi A.,
When I was nursing I took ensure. At least one bottle a day. You can find it in the diet and nutrition center of the grocery stores.

There is also a product called MOnavie. You can take the original while nursing. You only take 2 ounces in the morning and two ounces at night. Go to www.monavie.com and check it out. It is all fruits with antioxidants. It tastes like berries. I have MS and it helps on the energy. I haven't had to take a nap during the day since I got on it. I love it and you can also make money from it too. My distributor number is 945842. We are part of a growing TEAM and in the first week I got a paycheck from it. They pay weekly and it is the best thing out there health wise and money wise.

Good Luck!
K. LaHuis

Hi-

Are you able to sleep when she sleeps? With my first I was exhausted too. I really tried to to eat healthy and sleep any chance I got. I would even go to bed early so I made sure I had some energy. When I went back to work it just took time for my body to adjust. Hope it gets better and I hope you get some sleep.

C.

I nursed my daughter until 7 months old and I'll tell you, its the most draining thing a mother can do but we do it b\c its the best thing. How's your diet....are you getting enough protein??? At times when I was nursing I found me not even making time to eat. So that's the most important thing you have to rethink. Nuts, peanut butter, chicken, fish etc...do you get enough of that. I am a coffee drinker and I asked the pediatrician if I could while I was nursing and he said go ahead its fine. Not to drink a whole pot but my 3 cups were fine. My daughter now is 16 months and is perfectly normal. Make time for yourself and exercise WILL give you a boost in your energy. THATS A FACT!!! It helped me in so many ways. Sleep when that baby sleeps. I know you think of the million things you could do while she's sleeping but you are the most important in that baby's health remember that. So I hope I helped a little. Try those things first before you anyone tells you you HAVE to go to the doctor. It could be as simple as adjusting your diet, getting some needed rest and a little exercise that could put a kick in your day!!! Good luck

Congrats!!! I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old, and breastfed both--it sure can be time consuming, but worth it! I agree with some of the other posters--let things go around the house a little more. You'll get to it eventually, and it's just not that important right now to have your house as clean as you were used to before the baby. Ask for and accept help from friends and family (I always had a hard time with that one). Nap whenever the baby sleeps. I also agree that that kind of EXTREME fatigue isn't normal--see your doctor and make sure it's not anemia, a thyroid problem or anything else that needs medical attention. And HANG IN THERE! With both my kids, I felt like I was emerging from a tunnel right about the time they hit 3 months old, and started to get the hang of my new and different and wonderful life!

call the doctor, this is not normal. If the doc says "of course you're tired" get a second opinion

Good morning. Eat some walnuts when you get up in the am. Put them on top of yogurt with some berries if you can. They are high in omega 3 protein and will give you a boost. Avoid caffeine as that is just a quick fix. Sleep when your baby sleeps!!! Do not worry about the house or what needs to get done. Ask a friend or family member to help if you can. Remember that you are still eating for two. Best of luck!

It is exhausting with a 9 week old and feeding, but you may be anemic so should see your doctor for a blood test.

Hi A., I have the perfect thing to help you, have been where you are. I have an 8 month old son and am nursing him and he keeps me up at night (still) so I can relate to the tired feeling and hesitation to take anything for it. I started taking OPC3 from Market America (took it to my doctor first to get her approval) and noticed a HUGE difference in a short time, it has changed my life! I ran out about 3 weeks ago and in a few days started feeling like I needed a nap again, haven't had one of those since I started taking this product. I also got sick, realized I not only have had more energy and felt good, but was much healther with the suppliment and without it got a cold (first one since I started this). My Mom also takes it and she used to get allergy shots every month, but hasn't had to get any since she's been taking OPC3. This stuff WORKS! It is helping my baby too, he got my cold...before when we were on this everyone around us was getting sick, but us! I ordered more and started taking it again today. This is a powerful ANTIOXIDANT that fights the free radicals that cause over 60 diseases and helps us remain healthy. It is perfectly safe for pregnant and nursing Moms. I know a Mom who gave it to her newborn that was pre-mature and almost died and it saved his life, she now sells the products too. There are other Market America products that can help you with staying awake that have vitamins in them and not caffine so you can still take it while nursing, they just aren't full of the antioxidants like the OPC3 (which is in the Isotonix form; meaning it is the same consistency as your blood and tears/body fluids, so your cells absorb and use it immediately - no waste and fast). They have a coffee substitute called "Mocha Tonix" but I've never tried that because I don't like coffee, they also have a vitamin drink called "AWAKE" that is healthy and would help but I haven't tried it either, the OPC3 helped me out.
PLEASE look at my web portal: www.marketamerica.com/jendiehl and see what there is and learn about the products available, you can read the ingredients and scientific studies done, etc...by clicking on the lower case "i" in the blue circle by the products. Have your doctor look at it if you want, many doctors sell these products in their offices (earn CME credits for it). Feel free to call me anytime: ###-###-#### and if you want to try it I can give you free shipping if you order from me (or you can try a sample of mine for free at first).
The other thing I would recommend is make sure you are drinking plenty of water, especially when nursing! I know you would LOVE the OPC3 and the difference it would make in your life if you would just give it a try, please call!
Thanks, J.

You need to eat like you did when you were pregnet---and drink alot of liquid. You should take a nap whenever she takes a nap. Also you can take vit. For lactating women they have them at the health food store and it is good for you and the baby. I have been in your shoes my son is now almost 7 years old and he nursed alot i felt drained and tired. I found it was hard to gain weight while nursing,but when you stop that is when it will stay on. Enjoy your baby befor you know it she will be in school..

Sounds more like you need more to eat. When you are nursing you really need six meals a day. I like to snack on granola bars. Make sure you keep around alot of healthy snacks- they can be a life saver! I nursed my first son for 18 months, and my second is 10 1/2 months. I sneak a Pepsi every now and then- nothing horrible happens. If you really need a pick me up- grab a cup of coffee, just be aware that it may upset your daughters tummy.

Hi A.,
I remember the feeling well! I had a wonderful, snuggly son. He nursed every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, and I was exhausted because he would spend 45 min-1 hour nursing. I felt like an exhausted cow. :) I drank lots and lots of water. I also contacted his Pediatritions. They told me to give him cereal in a bottle at bedtime (he never slept longer than 2 hours). I know the water helped a lot.As did the cereal. I ended up having to suppliment the nursing with formula because I couldn't keep up the rate, but this was suggested by my pediatrition and seconded by my hubby :). I also took 1 hour everyday for me. Sometimes it was a long, hot shower; a book; a walk, and sometimes a nap. Giving myself the hour for myself really rejuvinated me. I even sometimes painted my nails(which was unusual because I haven't ever really been into that, but it made me feel kind of pretty). I think my son was about 7 or 8 weeks when I did that. Good luck!

Sounds like an iron deficiency which is very common after childbirth! Did your doctor give you a supplement? I took a prescription supplement after my son with a stool softener included because iron can cause constipation. You will feel a lot better! Also, just make sure you are sleeping when the baby sleeps. Get as much rest as you can. Don't worry about the state of the house, just rest! Good luck!

Eat. Make sure that you are eating and eating well. Eat when the baby eats. Nursing takes a lot of energy and nursing mothers need more calories than other non-pregnant/non-lactating women.
Trust me. I nursed for 15 mos. and know where you're coming from. When I didn't eat properly, my exhaustion level increased.
And depending upon what's going on in your personal life and if menses has returned, you might want to take an HPT.

Perhaps the doctor could check if you have low blood sugar.
Other ideas: drink lots of water and eat small meals more frequently - every two or three hours. Find out what foods are good energy foods. Eat protein bars.
Perhaps a multivitamin or some type of vitamin is needed.
Let everyone else take care of the house, making dinner, etc... As a first time Mom, you need to get as much rest and focus on you and the baby as much as possible.
Congratulations!

Have you ever pumped and have your daughter take a bottle? I would suggest doing that and either going out and do something relaxing like a massage or pedicure, or take your daughter to a family members and just take a nap at home and relax. We all need some help from time to time.

make sure you are taking your prenatal supplements, eat lots of leafy greens (for the high nutritional value) and drink enough water. Sleep whenever possible. Forget about doing any unnecessary chores, stick to the bare minimum. Ask for help! Get your iron levels tested, you could be anemic.

Hi A.,
Taking care of a nine week old baby can be quite exhausting within itself. I have four children of my own so I truly understand how you may feel. However, I will suggest just one thing that I believe will really help you. Really it is two things. 1. Between feedings and baby sleeping, you need to rest. This is important because your body needs to rejuvenate after feeding and you are exhausted due to lack of sleep. 2. I know it may be hard for you but don't do alot of unecessary work. Learn how to prioritize things. You are overdoing it. Learn how to ask for help and rest. It is ok if you don't do everything on your to-do list.

I hope that helps you...

Sincerly,

Coach Blakely
www.coachingyouforlife.com

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results"

1) get more sleep. Enlist a family member to watch the baby for a couple of hours each day to take a nap so you can really sleep and not wonder about the baby during that time.

2) Are you getting enough food? Sounds like you don't have enough energy - nursing burns A LOT of energy and you need to be eating more to make up for it. Eat more often during the day - even just little bits like some fruit or something for a snack between meals to keep your energy up. A nursing mom needs WAY more than a non-nursing mom. Don't worry about your weight yet - it's only 9 weeks in and your body hasn't adjusted yet to everything.

I haven't read the other responses so sorry if this is repeats!

Hi A.,
Don't forget to be takeing you prenatal vitamins still while nursing. Don't let your new baby run you so low. Its not fare to you, your husband or your new little girl. Don't worry about things so much. Let the dishes go. If the baby is fed and changed, let her cry if she is fussy and just take it easy. Or your husband could take here for a walk. I ran myself down to the point of crazyness with my first baby and never again.

This my sound silly but could you get more sleep by having family take care of the baby for an hour or two after you breastfeed or breastfeed lying down and sleep with the little one. If your LO takes bottles (you could also introduce bottles if you haven't) maybe you could go in a different part of the house and SLEEP. My husband would put the baby in the baby bjorn in the early evening after I fed her and she would sleep for a good couple hours while he watched a movie and I slept in the basement. I also nursed, and my LO did not take a bottle at 9 weeks so I know what you are going through. If you do get more sleep and are still having very low energy consider that you may be dealing with the hormone changes that occur around 2-3 months and may make you feel the "baby blues". I hope this improves for you soon. If you would like to email me privately, don't hesitate to do so ____@____.com. I communicate with a couple other new moms and it is very helpful. The 2-3 month point was hard for me as well.

I can honestly say that I have been there. I breast fed both of my boys until they were a year old. When they were first born, when I would breast feed them I would nap with them. I am sure that many people have told you that when they sleep you sleep. That is so true. If you don't you will run yourself so down that you will have a hard time keeping up. It was much easier with my first child since I did not have to worry about any one else. When my second child was born my oldest would play or watch a cartoon and I could get a nap in that way, but I really tried to get them on an afternoon nap schedule so I could nap with them. Trust me, the housework can wait. Things change a lot with little ones around the house. I don't drink coffee and did not take anything to help. Everything that you eat and drink does go into your breast milk, so you never know what you are giving to your baby. If you have any questions about it feel free to ask. Happy napping to you and God BLess.
S.

Congrats on your joy.

A., you need to get yourself to the doctor. Fatigue is normal but not to the extent that you are talking.

A.,
I think you should call your Doc. That level of tiredness doesn't sound normal. Especially the fact that you feel like you are going to pass out. Could you be anemic??
Good Luck and don't wait too long to call!
C.

try not eating a lot of sugary things like juice, fruit, sweets, but rather, eat protein items and a small amount of the sweet stuff together. The sugar will give you a quick bump and then the protein will keep your energy up longer. If you just do the sugary stuff then you will have a bump and a sharp drop off in energy. I also found it helped at that stage to nap when my daughter did. I knew there were always things to do like laundry and dishes but I made my naps a priority until my daughter slept more at night so I was not so tired. You could also discuss your tiredness with your OB or family doctor. Tiredness is a symptom of many medical issues. If nothing seems to help then you may want to let them do a few tests just to be sure there's nothing going on with you medically. As a rule, my OB said I could have 1 cup of coffee or equivalent caffine a day while breastfeeding. Good luck.

Do you take dietary supplements? They shouldn't hurt the baby as they would make YOU healthier. I can offer a free nutra-physical (created by a panel of doctors) that evaluates your intake and makes suggestions for better health at my web portal - go to www.marketamerica.com/thevoiceoftruth . There are no obligations and the information is so worth the effort!

S.
____@____.com

I'd love to be of service!

Call the Dr. you sound like you may be anemic.
For now try eating extra fruits and veggies I know it sounds strange but it did help me. Some sugar won't hurt if your not diabetic. Most important is when she gos to sleep get some rest. I wish I could help more, but we all go through this no sleep fatigue. Call someone over to help so you can get a nap. You have to take care of you. When my first son (who I breastfed) got to that age I started giving him one bottle a day of formula. It gave me one feeding off per day. A couple hours of rest can help more than you know.

Are you overdoing it? Are you resting when she's resting until you catch up a little? Have you seen a doctor? Could you be depressed? Post-partum depression is still quite possible at this stage. Have you taken on new responsibilities lately and don't realize how much you are doing? Are you taking your prenatal vitamins? You should be while breastfeeding. Could you be anemic? A bloodtest will show that, then you could take iron? What is your diet like? Are trying to lose weight and not eating well enough? Remember that you're making milk and going through a big admustment - you need a well-balanced diet with enough calories to feed you and your daughter. It sounds to me like you are physically run down and can use some naps when your baby naps, until you feel better. If you've returned to work, it may just be too soon. Hope this passes quickly - I'd see a doctor but don't let them tell you that nursing is the reason. It's not! In fact, if there's an emotional element, nursing will help you! G. B.

Hi A.,
You should def. talk to your doctor. It sounds like you are aniemic. I had to take iron in a pill after I had my first. I would also recommend drinking a lot of water. You may be dehydrated. You should talk to your doctor.
Chris

That low of energy isnt normal. I would HIGHLY recommend you contact your doctor so they can draw a little blood and make sure everything looks okay. They can also give you counsel on what you can do to help with getting some more rest. At 9 weeks your little one should be sleeping a lot. Try to lay down when she does. Even if you cant sleep, just rest. Yes, the house will get messy but thats just the way it goes when you have a new baby! You have to take care of your health first! If youre nursing and have no energy its very possible that your milk supply will go down. Your body's first job is to take care of you and nursing will come second. Please go see your doc just to make sure things are okay.

I can certainly feel your exhaustion. I know with my kids (3) I always felt great until about 6-9 weeks after they were born and then I hit the "wall of exhaustion". So I would encourage trying to get a few cat naps in and letting other things go. I know I hated people telling me that because there were always too many things to do to sleep and it was tough to squeeze it in. But if you are almost passing out and not able to have the energy to care for baby, that's worse than dirty dishes or dirty laundry. I would also consider getting your iron levels checked to make sure you aren't anemic. Sometimes women become anemic after having a baby - low iron levels. Good for you for not resorting to caffiene because that gives false high energy and big crashes later. I know from experience. :) And lastly, hang in there! Motherhood is the best and toughest job in the world.

nap when she naps. eat at least every 2 hours even if it's a handful of almonds or something. WATER, WATER, and MORE WATER!!!!!! i remember about 2 months was when all of my new mommy energy ran out, and i made sure to nap when she napped. i would also have 1 cup of coffee a day, which didn't seem to bother my baby. and are you taking your prenatal vitamins? if the fatigue increases or you are dizzy, you need to speak w/your ob b/c it could be you having low iron or even a thyroid problem or some other issues. just pay attention to your body b/c you know it best, and don't be affraid to ask for help...hope this helps, and congrats!!!!!

Hi,

I had went through somewhat the same senario after I had my first daughter. When she was about about 6 or 7 months old I had such extreme fatigue that I hardly knew what to do with myself. I kept asking my friends if they ever felt so incredibly tired and they would somewhat act like it was normal. But, IT WASN'T NORMAL. And when I finally had a gland swell up to an enormous size I finally saw a doctor and found out I had mono. I had had it for some time but didn't have most of the classic symptoms normally associated with mono. I would highly suggest going to a doctor who has an open mind and is trusted. Somebody who will not just disregard your fatigue as being a normal body response to the added pressures and body changes of motherhood. And maybe that IS all that is going on but, if YOU think something's wrong, don't stop looking until you get some answers.

Best wishes to you and hope you feel better soon! :)

A.-
Because you are breastfeeding and your body is still recovering from birth and trying to get back to normal you need to make sure you are eating healthy! I don't know what your meals consist of but make sure you're eating things high in protien. How are you eating, in a normal day what do your meals look like?

Try Herbal Green Tea. It's all natural energy. There are specific kinds of tea but my doctor said it was ok to drink green tea while breast feeding but no coffee! Good Luck!

You've gotten great advice here. When I gave birth to my son I lost a higher than normal amount of blood, so I had to eat spinach and veggies a lot to battle some anemia.
I rested a lot with my son, cuddled when he was awake, slept when he slept. That was
Get your blood checked out first. Get some lean protein and veggies in your system.

You need to sleep when she sleeps nomatter what you want to get done If you can ask for help I have 2boys every close in age and have been there......so please take care of yourself to!

It sounds a little more than your "average" tired, if you know what I mean. I've been tired in the past(a lot), but I never felt as if I'd pass out picking up my children. Make sure with your physician that it's not serious..and then I'd recommend a super pick me up. Mangosteen juice. 100% natural, you can even give it to babies(at least my kind)I've found it gives me great energy with no side effects. COMPLETELY natural...100% safe.For that 3-4pm, I can barely keep my eyes open, feeling. If you want to know about the company's 100% money back guarantee, e-mail me. ____@____.com, DON'T drop the baby!!! Good Luck! MS

Are you getting enough sleep or rest? Are you getting plenty of frequent meals in between?

I have a great breastfeeding book I would like to give away for free that I listed, and not many are responding to. I am only asking for the moms to come pick it up as I am completely broke to mail or deliver it myself! ;)

(this book saved me as well did a few other resources.)

Are you sleeping when she sleeps? If you have made the amazing choice to stay home, then this is something that you need to do. I remember being this way with my first. I would think that with her asleep, I would be able to get things done around the house. But I just wore myself out. When she sleeps, at least try to lay down and get some rest even if you aren't able to actually go to sleep. You're going to lose your mind if you don't get some rest soon.