Taking care of your newborn is tiring but fulfilling. That said, you should have enough energy for tasks such as breastfeeding and more. Thus, you must be eating plenty of healthy foods.
However, one common problem could make this difficult for you. Moms often experience a lack of appetite while breastfeeding. Here, we will tell you about its common causes and give you tips on how to prevent this problem.
Why Am I Losing My Appetite While Breastfeeding?
You are losing appetite while breastfeeding due to many reasons, including hormonal changes, stress, and breastfeeding itself. Find the common causes below:
Thinking About Weight Loss After Giving Birth
While pregnant, people and your body tell you to eat more to provide for your and your baby's needs. Once the baby is out in the world, you may think that you no longer have to do that. Now, what you think about is postpartum weight loss — how to get back to your weight before pregnancy. It affects your appetite.
Absence of Hormonal Spike
Your body produces more estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy. Estrogen levels, in particular, can't be any higher than when you are pregnant. These hormones increase your appetite. After delivering your baby, however, estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply. So does their effect. Thus, you will not feel like you need to eat much when you're already in the breastfeeding stage.
Stress
Taking care of a newborn can be stressful. You need to get used to new routines; you may be losing sleep, and you may feel like everything is out of control. The stress from all of these can make eating less of a priority, leading to decreased appetite while breastfeeding.
Sleep Deprivation
As mentioned above, taking care of your newborn baby can make you lose sleep. You need to feed your baby or change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, so you can't get a good night's sleep.
The sleep deprivation problem may even occur before that. During the third trimester of pregnancy, several factors can interrupt your sleep. The frequent need to urinate and heartburn are some examples. As an effect, this may make you prioritize sleeping over eating.
Learning How To Breastfeed
If you are a new mom, you would be surprised at how much more complex breastfeeding is compared to what you thought. You would have many questions.
The thing is that no one is exempted from this. Even if this is not your first baby, you will be asking questions. Perhaps you forgot some things, or you encountered problems you did not before.
Top that off with sleep deprivation, and the challenge of figuring things out can reduce your appetite.
How Long Postpartum Appetite Usually Lasts
Postpartum appetite usually lasts for a few weeks after delivery. It is normal. That is especially true if you are taking medication after a C-section. It is important to know how to navigate this challenge to ensure you have ample energy to complete your daily tasks as a mother of a newborn baby. Otherwise, these weeks will weaken you, and that could affect your baby.
How Much Should I Eat for Breastfeeding?
You should eat more than usual. Medical experts recommend eating an additional 330 to 400 kilocalories every day. It will give you energy to function and will promote milk production.
However, don't select the food you eat based only on its calorie content. You should also consider its overall effect on your health. Besides calories, you also need more of the following:
- protein
- selenium
- vitamin A
- vitamin B12
- vitamin C
- vitamin D
- vitamin E
- zinc
That said, the best foods to eat include lean meat, eggs, and dairy. Fish and seafood are also great options, but you need to choose ones with low mercury levels. Of course, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are fantastic options.
Remember to eat a good variety of healthy food. It will affect your milk quality and may help your baby get accustomed to different tastes. Then, it will make it easier to introduce solid foods later in their life.
What Are the Complications of Not Eating Enough While Breastfeeding?
If you are not eating enough while breastfeeding, the nutritional value of your breast milk will go down. Furthermore, it will also reduce your milk supply since you are not meeting the demands for its production. That said, it can negatively affect your baby.
The good news is that you can take supplements to get certain vitamins and minerals. While this is helpful, please do not rely on this alone. Try to eat more healthy foods as much as possible.
How To Treat Postpartum Loss of Appetite?
You need to know what to eat and when to eat. Also, you need to know how to take care of yourself. Here are some key tips:
Frequently Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods
It isn't easy to eat big meals when you have no appetite. Eating smaller meals is a different story. That said, instead of eating large meals, frequently eat smaller meals.
Keep in mind that you should select foods that are nutrient-dense to compensate for the smaller meal portions. Choose ones that are rich in protein, essential vitamins, healthy fats, and fiber. By doing so, you can get the nutrients you need without overwhelming your digestive system.
Stay Hydrated
Milk production increases a lot in the first few months of breastfeeding. A study reports that it increases milk production to an average of 750 mL per day. As an effect, your body will require more water than usual. Thus, it increases the risks of dehydration.
The problem with that is dehydration can affect not just milk production but also your appetite. You may experience nausea, muscle cramps, or headaches, which may make you not too keen on eating.
With all that said, you should drink plenty of water.
Practice Self-Care
As mentioned in the section about causes, stress is one of the main reasons you are losing appetite while breastfeeding. So, the solution is to take time to relax and recharge. Rest whenever you see the opportunity to, take warm baths, or do yoga. These activities can help correct your body clock and systems, which helps stimulate your appetite.
How To Prevent Decreased Appetite while Breastfeeding?
Losing appetite while breastfeeding is normal, and you can't prevent it fully. As we have explained, after giving birth, the level of pregnancy hormones will drop. You can't do anything about that.
Stress, on the other hand, can be avoided. Do not think much about losing weight or getting back to pre-pregnancy weight. Take breaks and allow yourself to rest. Ask your husband, relatives, or older children to help you with your daily tasks so they will be lighter. These actions will keep stress away, preventing it from affecting your appetite.
Other Tips To Maintain Your Breast Milk Supply
The loss of appetite while breastfeeding reduces your milk supply. One way to combat that is by eating nutrient-dense food. Drinking plenty of water also helps bring back your appetite and increase your milk supply. These are not the only ways, though. Here are other things you can do to maintain your breast milk supply:
Breastfeed Often
The best way to maintain your breast milk supply is to breastfeed whenever your baby is hungry. By emptying your breasts, you tell your body to make more. Contrarily, if you leave them full for long periods of time, you are telling your body to stop producing milk. It results in lower milk supply and even problems like engorgement.
Use Pumps
There are times when you will not be available to breastfeed. Then, at other times, your baby may be full already or fall asleep after feeding from one breast. In these cases, you can use breast pumps instead to express milk from your breasts. With proper storage, you can use the expressed milk from later feedings. Through this, you ensure your body continues to produce milk without wasting what you already have.
If you are looking for a fantastic breast pump, the Momcozy Breast Pump M9 is a great option. You can create schedules and set alerts. It also offers great suction without causing discomfort.
FAQs About Loss of Appetite During Breastfeeding
Here are more questions women who lose appetite while breastfeeding also ask:
Is It Normal to Not Be Hungry While Breastfeeding?
Yes. Being not hungry is directly linked to losing appetite. Besides what's explained above, there is also postpartum thyroiditis. After delivery, your thyroid can become underactive or overactive. They have different effects, but both can reduce your appetite.
Does Breastfeeding Reduce Appetite?
No. It does not. In fact, breastfeeding increases your appetite; it makes you want to eat more. However, the effects of lowering pregnancy hormones and stress may overpower this in some women. As a result, you lose your appetite in the first few weeks after delivery instead.
Can Postpartum Loss of Appetite Affect My Baby?
Yes, it can indirectly affect your baby. Appetite loss can reduce your milk supply, so they may not be getting enough. Also, it can make you sick. If that happens, your energy levels will be low and you may not be able to provide them with their needs.
When Should I See a Doctor for Postpartum Loss of Appetite?
You should see a doctor immediately if you suspect that your loss of appetite is a sign of postpartum depression. That could be the case if the problem did not go away or has become worse after 2 weeks. Other signs include finding it hard to complete daily tasks or to take care of yourself and your baby.
Conclusion
Experiencing a lack of appetite while breastfeeding in the first few weeks is a common problem for mothers. It can turn into a bigger problem if not addressed, as it can affect your milk supply or weaken you.
The best way to get through this phase is by eating smaller meals with nutritious-dense foods, drinking plenty of water, and resting when you can. Remember, if you feel like the situation is getting worse and worse, you should consult your doctor.
