Looking for Advice About Nutrition and Breast Feeding

I had the same thing happen to me, not only was I not hungry, but I would actually throw up at the thought of eating. Throwing up with your not healed body is not fun either. What I found was helpful was to get out every day and move around, then sometimes I could eat. I would also eat whatever sounded like I could get down. Don't worry about Maura not getting enough nutrients she will take from you, but after a while it will drain you. So go to the store and get whatever you want to eat until your body evens out. Good luck!

No need to worry....I had very little appetite when my son was first born and I solely breastfed (he was born in Feb too and we breastfed for a year). Give it time and the appetite will kick in for sure. Right now you are both adjusting to your new life, your body is still recovering, and your daughter might not be eating a lot yet. It took me a good month or so (maybe even six weeks) to get some appetite back. The real hunger comes when they are older and eating a lot of milk, between 6 and 9 months I was starving and couldn't get enough food my son was eating so much. For snacks, just do what's easiest for you....string cheese, granola bars, crackers, fruits and really push the water (and don't be averse to that piece of chocolate cake if it sounds really good!). I kept a large water bottle around and knew how many I had to drink in a day to get enough water. Have fun...it's a great ride!

Hi A.,
Congratulations on your baby girl. Isn't it great? I also had a baby girl on Feb. 8...and we're enjoying every minute of her. My appetite is just starting to come back...but I do have to remind myself to eat. (I normally grab a little snack when she is sleeping). Right now, I'm eating cheese and crackers. It's quick and easy! Dinners have been tough though, thankfully my husband has been cooking.

The not being hungry part is totally normal and will pass. I had to force myself to eat early on because there was just no appetite. That goes away and then you'll be hungry like you normally are, maybe even a little more! The other problem is being so wrapped up with baby that you forget to nourish yourself. It will take a consistent effort to remember. I've just gotten in the habit of when I put her down to play after nursing I go eat something and drink a lot of water. Your routine will be based on you babies schedule. So just add in eating. Baby wakes up, Nursing, Baby plays you eat, Baby nurses and goes back down for nap.
Congratulations and Best Wishes,
K.

That happened to me as well- actually both my husband and I didn't eat much the first month or so!! When we thought about eating it would be time to nurse or making something took so long and he would need one of us for something or we were just too tired!!
I would suggest drinking a glass of milk while nursing- they told me to drink while nursing because you are stuck sitting and then you are for sure replenishing what baby is drinking.
Also- when you do have time make a huge dinner so that all you have to do is reheat really quickly :)

Also- yogurt was a good quick filler- fruit- string cheese- veg. sticks (prep before)....
I ate a lot of cereal and granola bars as well- which are not the best but held off the hunger till I had time to cook.

I also found that if I kept my glass of water full out on the counter I was more likely to drink it.

Eventually it is not so insane and you do get used to your new life :) AND nursing does get easier!!! My son had a horrible time (as did i) learning to nurse but we managed it for 15mo! and he was always a huge baby!

Good Luck- just do what you can :)

A..
I just had a baby 7 weeks ago and am also breast feeding. I was the same for the first 2 weeks, nothing sounded good and I was hungrey but didn't really eat everything that was in sight. I asked my doctor about it and he said that it wouldn't effect my milk supply, it wouldn't even hurt the nutrients in the milk for baby, but that it hurts me. The baby is getting everything it needs and your body is the one that suffers. Also just as a side note, my milk started to regulate around 3 weeks and I thought that he wasn't getting enough or that I wasn't producing enough milk because my breasts weren't about ready to pop at any given time. However, it is normal to not feel like bursting at the seams all day just at night when they sleep longer than 4 hours, or you step out for shopping and forget to pump. The best way to know if she is getting enough food is to check the diaper.
As far as snacks go, I have found that that the little 4oz yogurts like Yoplait YO and Activia are GREAT for more than they taste great and are a perfect snack. I have also been keeping apples around and I snack every time I feed my son. so there you go! I hope that helps.

My girlfriend wasn't that hungry when she was breast feeding twins and didn't have much time to fix a meal for herself. Most of the time she would drink protein shakes from Arbonne for breakfast and lunch and eat dinner with the rest of her family. The shakes are full of nutrients. She would sometimes make a smoothie out of them with milk, fruit and yogurt. Let me know if this is something you would like to try. I can get you samples of the vanilla, chocolate and chai latte shakes.

Hi A.,

I went through what you are going through. I lost so much weight cause I just wasn't hungry and I felt guilty. Prior to my daughter being born I ate lots of pasta so I had a pretty steady weight. After I had her I mostly snacked on fruits, salads, and granola bars. I kept taking my prenatals for the vitamins and I drank this tea called Mother's Milk that helped to keep up my milk supply up. You can google it and there are a bunch of pages on it. I noticed a big difference when I drank it.

Cut and Pasted:
Mother's Milk Tea is a commercially-prepared tea made from these herbs: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, spearmint, lemongrass, borage leaves, blessed thistle leaves, althea root, lemon verbena, and fenugreek seeds. In general, a well-known brand of tea is not likely to produce negative side-effects unless taken in large quantities (over four cups a day.)

HOPE THIS HELPS!
A.,

WOW Tons of Advice! What worked for my sister and I was to have stuff on hand like Hard boiled eggs or egg salad w/low fat or no fat mayo, tuna salad, cottage cheese, and yogurt.

Then you can grab a couple bites several times a day. You can put granola on the yogurt and sunflower seeds on the cottage cheese for extra protein. Multi-grain crackers or bread for the salads.

It's super quick and unlike a smoothie, quiet :o) Another of my favorites was peanit butter and celery or apples. My suggestion for protien bars are the Zone brand...they taste the best :o)

Good luck and have fun! Oh and remember your baby will get the nutrients they need but at what coast to your body? So it is important to keep up the nutrition.

~A.

Hey, congrats! I know everything is stressful as a new parent. Not everyone goes through the same exact thing, so don't worry! Enjoy this time in your life and let some stress go. You need to make sure that you are taking a little break for yourself EVERY DAY so that you can survive! Contact a nurse if you are worried - that's what they are there for. They will not feel bothered by any question you have - you are a first time parent!!! My advice: make sure you eat small meals throughout the day if you aren't very hungry. Eat breakfast and make sure that when you get to the grocery store that you select easy to grab items that are healthy. If meat turns you off, get protein through things such as peanut butter on crackers or toast, or cottage cheese, or grab a handful of peanuts. Have fresh fruit on hand that you can eat while you nurse! Buy some snacky things that you usually like to eat such as Goldfish crackers or cereal (or granola) bars. You don't have to eat a lot at one time. Make a rule for yourself as part of your routine to eat something small every time the baby nurses... Whatever works for YOU. You will do just fine!

This happened to me too. I tried scheduling meals. Making my husband call me from work to remind me to eat. I tried different kinds of foods/drinks until I found something I could stomache. Now I eat the same thing every day. Kind of boring and plain but it's working. I also tried snacking every time I nursed one of the babies. My problem was/is that I'm nursing two boys (one is 20 months and the other is now 6 months old). I have had no appetite since the younger one was born. Which would be great if I was dieting, but calories are a must! Your Milk supply won't go down as long as you continue to put the baby to the breast often. Your eating habits effect the quality of milk not the quanity. Therefore the better you eat the fattier/healthier the milk for the baby. your body will take what it needs to feed the baby first and leave the rest for you. Which could mean that you'll be over tired (more tired than just not sleeping at night) and "weaker" if you don't eat right.
Keep trying! Don't give up on breastfeeding! It's best for you and the baby.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

That would be the title if I was to write an article about breastfeeding.

Don't worry about your appetite. You are still recuperating from the strains of pregnancy and birth (it takes a _whole_ year for your body to get back to pre-pregnancy levels). You are completely taken up with caring for a baby 24-7 for the first time. You have no experience to go back on for this (like with a 2nd child). So it is perfectly normal, if you don't seem to have an appetite or can get by without eating much. Trust your body. When it is ready, you will be hungry. And trust, that your baby will get what it needs from you.

Whatever you do, please, please, please do not try to "do it better" by interfering with formula. Breastfeeding works on the basis of supply and demand. Does the baby's demand rise, so does the milk production. It may take a few days for you to catch up with your baby (hence the ever reocurring feeling that your baby is always hungry), but be patient and let your baby nurse whenever it feels like it. The moment you interfere with formula etc. the less often your baby will want to nurse, the fewer the feeding sessions, the demand on your milk production goes down, as does your milk production and eventually, like a self-fulfilling prophecy, you really will not have enough milk.

More important than eating is drinking, as far as milk production goes. Drink a glas of water, or even better, nursing tea (usually with anis, fennel in it) before or during each feeding.

I nursed my first child for 19 months. My second child didn't get solids until 8 months, is now 16 months and still nursing without any sign of stopping. Not that is is something to live up to. It was a personal decision to nurse so long. That's why it is called a nursing relationship. It's a two way street. Both you and the baby have to really want it.

I wish you the best of luck and a fulfilling nursing relationship with your daughter however long it may last.

I don't remember being particularly hungry at first. I think I was just too tired. But as we started getting more active I'd pay more attention to making sure I had good meals. In then beginning I think I relied more on other people coming by at mealtimes and sort of "reminding" me and having snacks near the areas where I'd sit so they would be handy. Like cracker boxes, fruit cups, juice boxes. Snacky things.

I would say you can for the most part listen to your body. Sounds like you've got lots of good advice already. My daughter will be 3 in April and I nursed her until the end of 2007 (so for a little over 2 1/2 years)when I found out I was pregnant with our second. What I remember from the beginning is being very very thirsty. I would say as long as you are getting enough water, and stick to natural, nutritional food when you are eating (esp fruits and veggies) you should be fine. Your appetite will def. come back - probably once your baby weight is gone and your little one starts nursing more... just wait until she has a marathon nursing session or two! :) You'll be hungry then. ;)

Hello! I had Twins in April of 2006, they'll be turning 2 here shortly and I had the same issue. I wasn't hungry at all and with my first son, I was eating all the time. What I did was I continued with my prenatal vitamins, as well Calcium w/D, and had peanuts, cashews, peanut butter crackers, yogurt, fresh fruit, cheese on hand to snack on all the time and I did a protein shake for awhile in the mornings to make sure I was getting enough good nuitrition in for my babies. Part of my problem was all the water I drank filled me up, and I was tired and didn't feel like eating. Food didn't appeal at all. Smaller snack type meals worked!! My doc checked my levels each time I went in and I was good.

Hope this helps.

A.,
Hello, my name is C. and I breastfed both of my children. I must admit it does sound a little different not being hungry while breast feeding. Being worried about getting the right nutrition while nursing is normal. Appetite or not, I would strongly recommend forcing some food down throughout the day. It is important for you to maintain your body while breast feeding. Your milk will always have what it needs to for your child, but if your body can not get the vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, then it has to pull them from your body's own stores(ex. you will leach calcium from your own bones to get enough for baby. Good for her, bad for you). Eating numerous, smaller healthy snacks rather than larger meals during the day will keep your metabolism working throughout the day which will aid in weight-loss too. My husband and I own and operate Wilson Family Chiropractic Center here in Waterloo (we are located behind the Olive Garden near Crossroads). We came across a super juice called Monavie. With only 4oz of juice per day you can get 5-7 servings of your raw fruits and veggies. If you have any questions or would like more information about it, or anything, give us a call or stop in. We are here to help. ###-###-####

Hi A.,

Congratulations of your new baby daughter! What a blessing she must be to yuo and your husband. Yes, your time is not your own any more. Have you considered doing some excellent source of protein shakes. That would be quick and nutritious for you. I do know of some products that are very safe during and after pregnancy. And know someone that took them to her ob/gyn and was told to keep taking the products as they are excellent. The temperment of her baby, after the birth, was amazing, according to both she and her husband. They feel that it was due to the nutrition that the Mom received during her pregnancy. This was her second baby.
They are all organic. The name of the company is called Dr Organics and I am personally taking them, myself. The taste is by far the best I have ever consumed that are out there in the marketplace and I have tried them all. I have worked in a chiropractic office for 7 years and have never seen anything like this come across our door step. They feed you on the cellular level, balance blood sugar, keep you focused, clarity of mind, help with either weight loss or to maintain,have sea vegetable to slough gunk from your intestines, have your probiotics and digestive enzymes, etc, etc... These products have balanced out my husands body so that he was able to stop taking the blood pressure medication that he had been on for 11 years. Thank the Lord,what a transformation! His blood pressure is lower than it was when taking the BP meds. I can give you the website and you can check them out for yourself. By the way, the Dr that formulated these products works with Dr's at the Mayo clinic in the cellular research dept and they say that these products are excellent and many consume them, themselves. The wesite is www.drorganics.com/9409558.
I wish you the very best in your search and can honestly say that you will not be sorry if you try them and I hope that you will. I do remember what it was like to be a busy Mom. You need to take really good care of yourself, because you deserve it and are worth it!

To your excellent health,
T.

A.,
I had the same problem after I had my son. He is now 8. I was 18 when I had him. I had people telling me the same thing your friends are telling you. Needless to say I had to stop breastfeeding cause he wasn't getting what he really needed. And he was hungry every 1/2 hour to 45 mins. It started for me right after I had him. No appetite at all. I was forcing myself to eat something all the time. You should be eating 6 small meals through out the day if not more. I would suggest contacting a nurse that really knows about breastfeeding and nutrition.

My son is almost 9 months and we're still breastfeeding. There are still days where I don't feel like I can eat enough but I also have days where I eat very little. When you're really busy your body tends to go into survival mode and you just sort of forget about eating. I remember the first month or so where it seemed like I never got off the couch I was nursing so often. My advice is put a bucket next to where you nurse with a bottle of water/juice/whatever, some nuts, granola bars, easy but nutritous snacks so you can eat while you nurse. Then if you dont eat the rest of the time at least you'll still be nurished, just dont forget to keep taking your prenatal!! You do need plenty of calcium and iron! Good luck and congrats on your baby girl!

Hi A.,

I do remember [29 years ago!] when i had lots of energy after having my first child. So, after having a thorough check with your doctor that everything's fine with your system, try making smoothies for lunch. you can throw all sorts of stuff in the blender: bananas, yogurt, strawberries, ice cream, flax seed, whatever gives you calcium and energy and tastes good to you and this will help with your calorie intake. Consider joining a mom's group to share ideas and exercise time. this can keep your spirits up because sometimes - especially if you're an extrovert - it's not easy being along with a baby all the time. And give yourself rewards! Dark chocolate is good for you. Drink lots of water and maybe buy some of the Ceres juices. they're all natural and extremely tasty.

Best wishes,
K. C

Congratulations! I didn't take the time to read the other responses so maybe I'm repeating someone else BUT...when I had my first baby I had the same problem. My milk supply was just fine (I nursed her for a year) and my weight dropped below pre-pregnancy pretty quickly. Your appetite WILL increase, and you probably will be hungrier than ever. Until then, enjoy your baby and listen to your body! You'll be great! Keep taking your pre-natal vitamins and drink LOTS of fluids. Good for you for breastfeeding!!!

Mother of 4 here, never was very hungry when I nursed my kids either, your baby will get the nutirents she needs no matter what you are eating and how much. Remember though that YOUR body will suffer. This was the advice I got, "even if you are jsut eating an apple or a banana or something small and heathy, eat it WHILE you are nursing. So even if you have to have a box of something next to you or a fruit basket next to your chair, have something there all the time. For me my thought was that I ws drinking so much water I ws almost NEVER hungry!

I felt the same way the first month after my son was born last August. AFter a few months of "learning" the ropes, though, my appetite came back full force and now all I think about is food. (We're still breastfeeding and he's six months...I felt "skinnier" when he was first born...) I think when we get so caught up being a new mommy its hard to take care of ourselves. Try to drink enough water...I would drink a glass at every feeding to make sure I was getting enough.

As many other people have mentioned sleep deprivation does decrease appetite, or at least I found it to be so. I do a lot of snacking during the day and find that when I eat and drink more I want to eat more (my son is 6 months and we are still breastfeeding). I would suggest looking for healthy snacks like a nut mix or string cheese. Also make sure you eat breakfast. That will start your metabolism off right and you will be hungrier during the day. IF food just doesn't sound good try a protein shake. There are a bunch of mixes and you can add fruits and veggies for extra nutrition. If you are concerned about your milk supply, try one of the lactation teas. You can find them in the health-food section of most major grocery stores. Also make sure you are getting enough liquid. Good luck and keep at it! You are doing a great job!

Hello A. - do not worry, if anything stress will decrease your milk. I have breatfed both my children over 12 months. With my first I hardly had an appetite either - just too busy, too tired, and too caught up in my new baby. My milk flourished, and I lost weight. The baby gets your first nutrition, and you the second portion. For YOUR health try snacking throughout the day on healthy protein snacks, and fruits & veggies. You will get back to an eating routine soon. The main thing to consider is GOD made your body to do exactly what your doing - caring and feeding your baby. It will work if you keep it up, and He will give you wisdom on how to best care for your baby and yourself. Be Blessed - MJM

Hi A.~

Congratulations on your new daughter. I breastfed both of my boys for more than a year each and I, like you, forgot to eat during the day and honestly, I just had no appetite. My doctor just told me that water water water was so important. You can't force yourself to eat if you are not hungry, but make sure you are getting those fluids in. I always had a huge cup of ice water near me and I made it a goal to drink the cup of water as soon as I was done with each nuring session. Hope this helps...

R.

I am exactly the same way. When I was reading your entry, it sounded like I was reading about myself. I have a 2 and a half month old, nursing, and have no appetite. I experienced this with my other 2 as well. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, I did experience lack of milk production for about a day and a half due to lack of calories I believe. I continue to take my prenatal vit. of course. Some ways I keep up during the day is: keep cut veggies and dip in the fridge so I can get at least one to two veggie servings per day, have a nummy mug of hot chocolate with 2% and/or sometimes whole milk in the evenings, put butter on anything that sounds good to me, and just consciously trying to eat at times I know I'm "supposed" to eat. I have found that when I don't eat enough calories, I 'm lacking energy and my body craves a quick hit of sugar (refined). I also have started to have protein snacks on hand. I have a tin of mixed nuts in the car/house, I eat a lot of peanut butter. My kids love pepperoni for snack (with cheese/crackers) so now I've started having this snack as well if necessary. DHA is also very good for you and your baby, so if you don't have fish regularly, a fish oil supplement is a good idea. congrats on your little one. happy eating:)

Good morning, A.!

My name is T., and I have a DD who turned 3 last month; I am a SAHM, also, but am certified in home childcare here in Fargo (including Monster I have 3 little ones!).

I BF'd my daughter for almost 6 months; like you the beginning was rough and then it went great! I know I didn't eat a whole lot, like what you're doing now, due to being so wrapped up in caring for baby. I wouldn't suggest making yourself sitting down and eating big meals - if you're not that hungry don't force yourself to eat by any means. Smaller meals throughout the day are usually best for a person. BUT....you do need to eat something - toast, an apple, oatmeal, cheese and meat with crackers...... Set aside a time each day for you to eat; perhaps making a schedule like that for yourself will help? (you know, perhaps like you had before Maura arrived?) Just as she will have her eating schedule so should you.

BF'ing does take alot out of a person, and you need to have energy during the day to take care of Maura and at night for feedings. If you're really concerned about it, talk to your doctor and see what (s)he says. Are you taking a multi-vitamin? Would be a good idea if you're not so your body gets some of the nutrients and minerals it needs (BTW, eating toast with peanut butter and juice or milk will help your body retain some the minerals and nutrients your body needs because some need fat (i.e., PB - good fat) to cling to, otherwise they'll get flushed out of your system).

I might not have been much help, sorry. Hope you figure something out!

A.,

I was the same way. My guess is that I had a lot of extra fat stored from being pregnant and my body didn't need a lot of calories after giving birth. Just wait. When I started dropping my baby weight (4-6 weeks after birth) I became unbelievably hungry - ate everything in site.

Congrats on the new baby,
S.

I had the same problem, i would get so caught up in taking care of the baby and the house that I usually didn't eat my first meal til about 4 pm, then another later in the evening, and another about 4 am. Snack when you can, but drink plenty of water. I make sure to have water bottles around and usually chug a 16 oz bottle just to make sure that I drink it and don't forget til later (at least 4-5 per 8 hour workday). Your bladder will adjust to it. Don't stress about it (stress makes you decrease supply), your baby will get all the nutrients from your milk, your body will suffer (quick easy weight loss for me!). I did get my appetite back about 6-8 weeks and am conscious of what and how much I eat since I don;t want to gain all the weight back (obesity runs in my family). Quite often I have "breakfast" at 4 am or in the middle of the night since it is so hectic to get out of the house for work in the morning and it is hard to get up early enough to get a real breakfast in.

I breast fed all three of my children and never had a problem with not producing enough milk. When your children are young and very needy your time is very limited. I would not worry about getting enought to eat, your body will let you know if your not. I was never ravenous when I was breast feeding. That actually might be a good time to grab a snack bar or piece of fruit. When your daughter is hungry, grab some finger food and eat while you are breatfeeding. Hopefully my ramblings helped.

This did happen to me with my 2nd son. I just wasnt hungry, which was really odd for me as well. I think you'll be better off trying to do smaller meals and snacks more frequently than larger meals, you'll feel better. One thing I really liked were Balance bars. I know they are processed and all, but some are good. I also tried to eat lots of fruit. I hope this helps. Good luck!!

A.,
I have two kids 3 and 5 mo. I found eating smaller snacks through out the day was better for me. I ate lots of fruit and veggie's. Both my kids seemed to responed better to my milk that way then some of the dinner choices i would make. Also don't stress to hard about it that will make milk slow down. Drinks lots of fluids:)
I hope this felps

Congratulations on your baby and choosing to nurse her! Many, Many benefits she will get from that. I have 4 children and have breastfed them all.

You need to eat protein with complex carbs. Peanut Butter is a quick source. 1/2 cup of cottage cheese is 13 grams of protein. I always keep mozerella string cheese in the fridge for a quick snack. Also, you would benefit from keeping almonds, peanuts, cashews on hand. Display them out with some fruit so when you walk by them you can grab a handful. Are there any protein bars that you like? We always keep those on hand too. I don't have to think about what to eat and I just grab it quick.

Whatever you do, you MUST drink lots and lots of water. I'm sure you've read this too before deciding to nurse. It takes about 6 weeks to establish a good milk supply.

Good luck! The breastfeeding experience just gets better and easier!

I would try some shakes for lunch. Frozen Yogart, little bit of milk and some frozen fruits, put it in a blender and that should fill you up and give you some calories :o) Congrats on the new babe, they are a lot of fun!
MCC

Hey there. Good for you for figuring out breastfeeding! I think my appetite fluctuated, but had a lot to do with getting enough water to drink. If I start to get dehydrated, I don't feel as hungry and it's even worse while breastfeeding. I would say start with watching your fluid intake and see if that helps your appetite. Also, there are snack suggestions (make a little tray of nuts/crackers/cheese, granola bar or whatever to eat while your daughter is nursing. I know Dr. Sears also has a smoothie recipe (you can probably get it off of www.askdrsears.com)that should help you get some extra nutrition and help keep your milk supply up. If your baby starts to get fussy after eating like she hasn't gotten enough, I'd go see a lactation consultant or someone to talk about it or your Dr.
Good luck!!

Drink, drink, drink!!! A good friend of mine got me in the habit of grabbing a bottle of water everytime I sat down to nurse and drinking it all before we were done nursing, I think as long as you are hydrated your milk supply will continue. Maybe also try grabbing a snack too when you nurse, it can be something small, an apple a couple of crackers etc this could increase your appetite too.
Do you have any other symptoms? If you notice flu like symptoms, acheness, temp, check with your MD it could be Mastitis (infection of the milk gland) I had this nursing and I lost my appatite.
It is always good to check with a Lactation consultant they can answer many questions
Good luck

First of all, congratulations on your wonderful new addition! I hope I can help. After my first daughter was born, she is now 8, I can hardly believe it, but I really had no appetite either (new for me then and wish I still had that problem). She took almost 2 months to get the hang of breast feeding, though, so I'm so happy to hear that it's going well for you already. Anyway, it was either the doctor or lactation consultant who had me drink Ensure to make sure I was getting enough calories, and it was an easy, small drink that really was kind of yummy. I think I enjoyed the vanilla, but they have other flavors as well. You might try comparing those type of drinks since there are so many out there, to see what has the best nutrients, or easier yet, call or have hubby call, and ask your doctor or pediatrician which is best. Don't stress, hang in there and just enjoy your beautiful girl every minute you can!
Good Luck,
C.

Hello-
I just had my second baby on february 8th! Congrats to you. Breastfeeding usually makes me very thirsty, but I'm not hungry either. Keep in mind, though, that at about three weeks of age infants go through a growth spurt, and tend to nurse more. My son nursed every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours for 2 days! I was beside myself. Make sure that you are getting enough protein and fluid to keep your milk supply up. And continue taking your prenatal vitamin. Otherwise, if your not hungry, your not hungry. Don't worry too much about it. A nice snack for me is hummus on whole grain crackers or edamame. Also, I have been eating Clif protein bars when I have no desire to sit down and eat a meal.
Hope that helps-M.

I was exactly the same way after my first son. I ended up getting so paranoid that my milk supply would go down that I ate too much and gained a ton of weight. I am now on my 3rd child, breastfed them all and am still breastfeeding my now 9 month old. Woman in 3rd world countries are still able to breastfeed even with poor nutriotion and bad water. The keys to breastfeeding are REST! Drink your water and your nutrition. When you are breastfeeding you are burning about an extra 500 calories a day. I have done a lot of research on nutrition lately and found an awesome supplement that is safe for nursing. I started it about a month ago and feel really good. I can get you more info if you would like. Otherwise relax, rest, eat nutritious snacks and take care of yourself. I also use the mother's milk tea that I saw someone else suggest and it does work well.
~M.

Hi A.,
Good for you for making it through the first few weeks with breastfeeding! My suggestion is that you need to double almost double your calorie intake, breastfeeding takes more calories from your body than pregnancy. You could possibly be experiencing some "baby blues" even though you are thrilled to be a mommy. I would suggest eating small frequent snacks with protein, toast with peanut butter, cheese like string cheese, fruits and of course plenty of water. The baby will get what she needs from you, but I do suggest adding snacks during the day to help keep your blood sugar more stable. So, to get this all into a practical schedule, eat when your baby eats even if you don't feel like it, sleep when your baby sleeps and buy paper products so you don't feel like you need to do dishes. Right now, your job is to take care of your baby and your self so try not to feel like you need to do stuff while the baby sleeps. I hope this is helpful! Congrats!

I had the same problem after the birth of my daughter, now 4. I found that I had to carry snacks with me at all times, healthy ones. I also tried to eat foods high in nutrition and drink lots of water. I found that I HAD to eat, otherwise neither of use would be healthy. Are you still taking prenatal vitamins? If not, you should be. Hopefully this will go away as your babe ages, as it did for me. Good luck!

A.,

I had a similar problem when I was nursing my newborn. I was so tired and worn out that I would simply forget to eat. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and it hit me that I forgot to eat dinner. Everyone told me to snack, but even that was hard. Someone told me to try Carnation instant breakfast shakes. They give you adequate nutrition and it's like drinking chocolate milk. My milk supply didn't decrease and my appetite eventually returned.

Good luck,
L.

Make sure you drink lots and lots of water, and I also continue to take prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding to make sure my son gets the nutrition he needs. You'll feel hungry again when you're not so tired.

Sometimes it hard to take time to eat - but really important to do so. Maybe appetitie is down because you are stressed, tired, a little depressed? Don't ignore it if that's the case. Quick little meals are probably more realistic for you. I'm a fan of cheese, crackers and apples or grapes cut up and ready to eat. I also found breakfast protein shakes to work for me. I made it with milk - so I got my calcium and they were easier to carry around the house or drink while nursing. Take a multivitamin as well and consider fish oil since you are nursing. You need those calories for the baby. Enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich too :) It has the good fat in it for you and the baby.

I too am breastfeeding a 7 week old and my appetite has decreased a lot as well. I think the main thing needed to keep up the milk supply is staying hydrated. Try to drink lots of water and eat when you can. Take vitamins to help fill in nutritional gaps and I'm sure you'll be fine.

i was the same way with my first. i didn't have an appitite but also didn't feel like i had the time to eat. my son would nurse for 45 minutes or longer at a time. my mom had the same experience with us kids (8 of them) so she cut up veggies for me with dip, cheese and crackers, fresh fruit - stuff i could grab and snack on while i was nursing. Easy access stuff. it helped a ton. i hope it will work for you. btw, congrats on your first baby.

First of all A., congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! Also good for you for giving breastfeeding a try--your baby will definitely thank you :). With my son, I was starving all the time when I breastfed him; now with my daughter (almost a year now and still BF!) I do not get as hungry. So I keep ready-to-eat things on hand at all times and if nothing else, I have a protein shake. Cheese, yogurt, snack crackers, canned fruit and those individual microwavable veggie servings are great too! It is a good idea to eat even if you're not hungry, especially since your baby is so young and you're establishing your milk supply. A good multivitamin or your prenatal vitamins are also essential at this time. Lastly, you may want to buy a good Omega3 supplement (found one from Herbalife that is excellent).

I wish you well on your parenting and breastfeeding adventure!

HI, my name is E., and when I was breastfeeding both of my kids, I had the same situation. Being overweight, I didn't really need to worry about having enough calories if I forgot to eat, but I still worried about proper nutrition, which is really the key for proper body functions. My advice would be to try to make a routine for eating. Make sure you eat a good breakfast to keep you going and give you your morning boost. Try to at least get in a salad for lunch. (If you have time, preferably when baby is sleeping, boil an egg to put on you salad for protein.) And keep up on your good dinners. Also, you could go to a health food store and pick up a little vial of geranium essential oil, as geranium is an appetite inducer. You can just put a couple of drops on pulse points, like perfume, in the morning, and throughout the day as you need it. Best of luck to you and your family.