Breastfeeding Fatigue can be intense! Whether you are nursing one baby or multiples and you are already exhausted from adapting to all nighters with your newborn(s) sustaining your personal health and energy can feel like an up hill battle. With my first pregnancy I remember this being pretty intense through cluster feeding and then again when he would hit growth spurts or the 6 month and 1 year mark. They become pretty sufficient eaters draining your milk and energy FAST! I would begin getting lightheaded, dizzy, and feeling so exhausted! With twins I felt like I could feel it from day 1 and consciously had to make the decision to take care of my health needs as well. These are the that helped me beat the fatigue.
Water. Water. Water. Now this wont give you the caloric intake you need but it will help to regulate our bodies systems. Including digestion, circulation, transportation of nutrients and temperature regulation. If our bodies are busy producing milk and nursing, they are still working hard in the background to take care of us! Make it easy on yourself and make sure you replenishing your bodies water resources. Get your self a large water bottle that you can easily sip from and grab one handed while nursing and make sure you stash extra water bottles in your go to nursing locations. Bonus: This especially helps with all the water retention post-partum and the crazy body temperature spikes.
Find a GO TO Protein Powder. Its no surprise as moms we deprive ourselves of our needs and we don’t always get to make that meal we truly need. Which then can become hazardous to our health if we are skipping meals, and or skipping then binge eating later while the babes are napping or in bed. Finding a protein that is going to sustain your hunger and fuel your body is so important. I tried multiple powders until I fell in love with Ora Organics So Lean So CleanChocolate Protein Powder. It curbed my chocolate cravings and with 22g of plant based protein as well as 1g of sugar I was pretty impressed at the chocolate flavor profile. Im a stickler for what goes into our bodies as well as my babies so the fact that there are zero artificial ingredients, fillers, flavors sweeteners or preservatives was such a relieving factor. They have formulated Ora Organics Protein Powder to contain a complete Amino Acid profile as well. Why is that important? Read more about that here in this write up for the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, included on that list is milk production! Mom tip: get yourself a blender with single serve cups that blends in seconds and makes it effortless to throw together quick protein smoothie recipes. I’m obsessed with our Ninja.
Get Yourself a Supporting Supplement. Ora Organics Greens Drink has hands down been my supplement of choice. I was always such a stickler of eating the rainbow and taking in what my body craved and needed through real whole foods not supplements or powders but this company truly changed the game for me. Ora’s Greens Drink contains an ingredient called Ashwagandha AKA “Indian ginseng”, which boosts the immune system, supports stress relief, increases focus and decreases fatigue. BINGO! That is exactly what this momma needed when most days go arhy and the ingredients for the healthy dreamy lunch I had planned didn’t quite make it out of the fridge or off of the counter. If I’m not mixing this in to smoothies I just throw it in a shaker bottle with ice water, and old fashion mixing with a spoon works just as great!
Maximize your diet. When you do have the time, and your protein smoothie and greens are kicking in to fuel your plan of attack in the kitchen feed yourself foods that will stick with you and wont burn away with empty calories. Think healthy fats such as coconut oil, olives and olive oils, flax seeds, avocados. Pack in what you can quickly with super food bowls, avocado toast variations, and loaded up oatmeal to boost that milk supply! Keep healthy snacks nearby your nursing stations in your handy nursing caddy like single serve almond, peanut and other nut butters, protein balls, and coconut bites.
Last on the list, STRETCH. Get that blood flow moving and those achy muscles feeling good. If you are into Yoga find a quick 10-15 minute routine you can squeeze in or try these 6 Back Saving Yoga Positions for Nursing Moms. If thats not your thing, make time to stretch out your arms, back, neck and legs in a preferable manner. We arent always in the most comfortable positions while nursing and as our babies grow and we adapt to nursing positions it can take a toll on our bodies. Its important to get everything moving and relaxed again to prevent our muscles from becoming tired and sore which can cause added fatigue. Make it a ritual even if it’s the first 10-15 minutes of naptime or bedtime. Maybe just before you get to sneak that coveted shower in. Find an area where your mind can be at ease, and roll out a mat to set the mood.
Listen to your body, fueling it is a small form of self care us Mommas often forget about. Beat the fatigue and feel confident in your nursing journey nourishing yourself and your baby! Need more Tips and Tricks? Check out The Ultimate Checklist for Nursing Moms.
Happy Nursing Momma!
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