feeling sick and flat

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Linda - 09 Dec 2006 13:26 GMT

DD is 11 months old and still mostly breastfed. She kind of eats solids at
times, but is really more interested in just playing with it - which is
fine. She's very healthy and happy - and I love feeding her, but while I'm
happy, I'm not healthy. I've been feeling sick and flat and dizzy for the
past few months on and off. I had blood tests done and my GP told me I'm
low on iron and getting over glandular fever (hmm that was a surprise).
Also that becuase DD is still taking so much from me that it's starting to
have an impact. She didn't even suggest not feeding or, formula or
anything, but just said to look after myself and eat more red meat.
Problem is I seem to eat a lot of meat, (and other stuff in general) as it
is - and I'm trying not to put weight on. I snack on fruit and rice cakes
mainly (and a bit of chocolate here and there) and I eat pretty well for the
main part, and much more than I used to and I'm maintaining where I'm at -
if I ate much more I would definitely be getting fat.
I go for a 30 minute jog every morning, and I'm pretty active during the
day, so I really don't know what to do.
I really do feel sick and faint sometimes, so something must be missing from
my diet, but I don't know what, and I wake up super hungry, but as I said,
if I eat much more, I'll be putting on weight. 5 foot 4, and weigh 58
kilos, which is still more than I would ideally like, but a healthy weight
for my frame - prebaby I was 55-57.
Any suggestions? I already take a multivitamin.

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Sue - 09 Dec 2006 15:13 GMT

Look into taking iron with your multivitamin and vitamin C so it can be
absorbed. My daughter takes Feosol (brand name).

Signature

Sue (mom to three girls)

> DD is 11 months old and still mostly breastfed. She kind of eats solids at
> times, but is really more interested in just playing with it - which is
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> for my frame - prebaby I was 55-57.
> Any suggestions? I already take a multivitamin.

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Linda - 10 Dec 2006 07:30 GMT

> Look into taking iron with your multivitamin and vitamin C so it can be
> absorbed. My daughter takes Feosol (brand name).

Thanks for the thought. I discussed the iron with my GP and she said she
wouldn't want to recommend taking more iron supplements as it would already
be included in the multivitamin, (it's a breastfeeding one), but she didn't
mention vitamin c - I should check that.

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Anne Rogers - 09 Dec 2006 17:06 GMT

> I go for a 30 minute jog every morning, and I'm pretty active during the
> day, so I really don't know what to do.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> 58 kilos, which is still more than I would ideally like, but a healthy
> weight for my frame - prebaby I was 55-57.

hmm, I wonder if 58kg is just too light for breastfeeding, the extra fat put
on in pregnancy is for a reason and is supposed to be lost gradually over
breastfeeding, whereas you basically have no extra fat, but are almost fully
feeding a baby.
Also, maybe with the anaemia and recovering from glandular fever, the jog
might just be too much, yes, in general exercise does energise you, but
maybe right now it's too much.
I think you need to not worry about what you are eating for a while, yes,
eat healthily, but do not limit quantities and eat that meat, you can pick
lean cuts and so on.

Cheers

Anne

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Linda - 10 Dec 2006 07:37 GMT

>> I go for a 30 minute jog every morning, and I'm pretty active during the
>> day, so I really don't know what to do.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Anne

Hmm, you might be right. I really don't like the idea of having extra
weight, but right now that's a better option than feeling the way I do.
I have been eating so much I feel like a pig!! I eat more than DH and as
much as I did when I was pregnant, and I still want to eat more, but I don't
because as I said I already weigh more than I did before I was pregnant. I
don't want to be obsessed with weight or anything, but we're going
interstate for christmas, and I'll be seeing friends and relatives that
haven't seen me since I've had DD (so vain it might sound, but I really
don't want to look fat in front of them) - but - I'm feeling pretty yuk
so... I guess we'll see.

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Chookie - 11 Dec 2006 09:31 GMT

> DD is 11 months old and still mostly breastfed. She kind of eats solids at
> times, but is really more interested in just playing with it - which is
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> kilos, which is still more than I would ideally like, but a healthy weight
> for my frame - prebaby I was 55-57.

58 kg is perfectly fine. In fact, so is 68 kg (I am the same height as you
and probably a similar weight). I also had anaemia after my children were
born.

You have a simple choice: you can either listen to your body and eat more or
you can continue on the way you are now. Notice that this is not a choice
about weight. If you are anaemic, faint, and super hungry in the mornings,
you plainly need to eat more iron-rich and energy-rich foods to maintain your
weight and health. Remember that a breastfed baby is supposed to take an
extra 500 calories a day of energy.

To get my iron back to normal, I used supplements for months and months, with
only slight effect (on the iron front -- their effects on my digestion are
best left unstated!). Eventually my Dr told me to eat a meal of red meat
every day. It seems I absorb iron better from real food, because this (still
with supplements) did the trick. The best meats to eat, in order of iron
content, are kangaroo, beef and lamb. Duck and turkey aren't too bad either.
I used to eat 200g or so a day.

Another cause of faintness is dehydration. If you are getting headaches and
nausea along with faintness, that is heat exhaustion/dehydration.

Signature

Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

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catzandturtles - 14 Dec 2006 11:15 GMT

Linda,
I don't think how much you weigh has anything to do with it! I'm 5' 5",
and at 9 months pregnant only got up to 55 kg, and then very quickly
returned to my normal 47 kg. I have been breastfeeding for 6.5 years
straight (this time), with the youngest turning 4yo in a month. He has
only gone to mostly food (over breast milk) over the last 6 months.
I will offer an alternative thought for increasing your iron levels. I
had tremendous problems keeping my iron levels at a healthy level while
I was eating large amounts of meat and even taking supplements. I found
that my body simply does not do well on meat, and that there is a
plentiful amount of iron to be gotten from dark leafy greens eaten
raw... spinach, chards, dandelions, mustard, kale, herbs, even
romaine... I would suggest adding in some wonderful raw salad greens
(not iceberg though)...with or without dressing. That should help you
to avoid the super hungry feelings, get the iron you need, and maintain
the weight where you want it.
I'ld love to know if it helps you!
Cathy

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Family Forum / Pregnancy / Breastfeeding / December 2006

feeling sick and flat