I was just wondering if this is common. I'm a nursing mother and I cannot seem to eat while I nurse. I get this queezie almost nauseated feeling if I try to. It's not pain but it's uncomfortable. This is inconvient because I can only pump at lunch and my baby always seems to be hungry when I am. Is this because the uterus is contracting? Has anyone else had this problem?
I would feel that way when I wouldn't eat enough. Try drinking milk and having healthy snacks througout the day.
There are hormones released during nursing that may upset your stomach. They are related to the same ones that in early pregnancy make some women nauseous. If you're sensitive to the hormones, there is no reason for you to have stopped being so just because you're not pregnant anymore.
You may find that the same advice that helps morning sickness helps you: do not let your stomach get overly empty, as that makes it far more sensitive to upset in general, particularly when it comes to hormones. Drink or eat something every couple of hours while you're awake. Try eating before pumping or nursing... and anticipate your hunger rather than waiting until you are hungry.
Smaller meals, more frequently spaced, are healthier in general for many reasons. A little protein, a little carbs, some fibre and some fat in every small meal may make this problem go away on its own.
Also, as your body adapts to the hormones over the coming years, you will find this symptom less-pronounced (over time, lactation requires fewer hormones to continue than it did to get it started).
I was the same way with my daughter for the first 6 months of nursing, and now it's the same way with my 7 week old son. I don't even like to think about food while I am nursing. I just thought it was because of all the hormones. Make sure you eat snacks if you can while NOT nursing, or find something you can tolerate while nursing. For me, after the feeling became less intense after the first 10 minutes of nursing, so I could eat a nutrition bar. Good luck!
My baby was always hungry when I was!!!! I must have nursed through every meal I tried to make/eat. I finally learned to prep food in advance. And eat some before I was hungry. Or to offer nursing just before I wanted to cook! I think they pick up on our thoughts. "Ooo moms thinking about yummy veggies, I should eat too"
Good luck! A. H
Hi,
This happened to me for about the first two months with my son nursing, and what i would do was simply drink a slim-fast or something of that nature (Ensure has some drinks that are similar) While nursing, and the first chance i got I would eat something more solid. Is it possible for you to keep small snacks on you at your workplace? If you can eat small snacks about 20 minutes or so before, that might help too. I found that having something small in my stomach at all times helped a lot with that initial quesiness. Hopefully something like that will help you. Good luck
I have always felt the same way and just assumed it was my body being weird. I am relieved to hear it happens to others. It was really bad the first few months. My baby is now 5 months old and although I still feel queazy it is not as intense and tends to subside by the time I switch sides. That is when I can usually stomach to eat something, but now she is so squirmy and curious that she usually pulls off (painfully), whips around, checks it out and then bats at it. So, I think it gets better - but just in time for baby to be ultra curious in what you're doing making it still impossible to eat.
L.,
It doesn't sound like too many of these gals have experienced what you are explaining. Rest assured~ I cannot eat and nurse at the same time either. I feel as if I may puke!
I had a "tightening " in my belly when I nursed my 1st... For a year. If thats what your talking about then yes, it is from your uterus tightening up because of the oxytocin (?) that your body makes while nursing. Is it actually your belly / nausea or lower/ tightening. To me it sorta felt like an involuntary Kegel excersise...
But didn't notice it with my 2nd or 3rd... It never stopped me from eating... Try nibbling on a cracker or something... Unless it actually makes you nauseous...
I got a queezy feeling when I went too long without food. Are you snacking? I always needed a mid morning snack...
Can you change the foods you are eating when you are pumping? For instance, I have found a great substitute for a meal is a fruit/veggie smoothie without any dairy in it. I can sip on it slowly, but it holds me for several hours, and gives me loads of natural energy.
This is hard to even sugest but could you be pregnant??
