This is something I seem to be hearing a lot about recently.

I've had a couple of BF'ing friends tell me they're quitting BF'ing because after 8 months - 1 year it begins to take a huge toll on your body ito loss of nutrients and can lead to exhaustion!

Even my mum, who was an extended BF'er up to 5 years, has said to me she would't blame me for giving up at 1 year because of the toll BF'ing takes on your body. I was also told by a sort of an alternative health practitioner that BF'ing was leeching all the goodness out of my body and I need to take a tonic and supplements.

Tbh I do feel like a zombie a lot of the time but I think it's mainly because my LO has started waking in the night and I'm not used to it, and I tend to go to bed too late (I try to clean our flat, do household admin, spend quality time with OH, bath and relax in the evenings - which is prob too much) and I don't eat as well as I should, and don't exercise I'm not convinced that BF'ing is responsible for my zombie-like condition

What do you ladies think? Any truth to this "theory".

I think if BF is taking the nutriants from there bodys its cos they arnt eating right.

The baby I look after (I'm a nanny) is exclusively breastfed. He is 13 months now. His mum has said she has become increasingly exhausted since about 9 months and she says she thinks breastfeeding is a big part of that but wants to continue til he is 2 or til he self weans if it is before then. She takes a number of vitamin supplements, eats a very healthy diet and also has acupuncture to help with any ailments she has. It is particularly important to make sure you get enough calcium as it can leach your body's natural supply from bones and teeth and vitamins like B12 help with energy. Iron can also be depleted which can cause fatigue. I would make sure you are eating regularly and take a good vitamin supplement to help with the fatigue.

I BF my second eldest until past one year and never experienced this, I did make doubly sure though that my own diet was very good...

I'm fine and I was dealing with my baby up to the age of 14 months waking 6 times a night and even now she still wakes twice Sounds kinda like mumbo jumbo/excuses to give up cos they feel guilty for doing so

Honestly, it got too much for me after a year...... We were done at 14 months.......

See how you feel x

Also probably depends on how many times your LO feeds. I go to work and dont see Amelie til 2.30pm on weekdays but on weekends she feeds WAY more. IDK if id cope as a SAHM.

good point. I am at home with LO, I think I may feel different/better when I return to full time work later this year.

I'm not going to give up anyway.

I am just at the one year mark and although I dont feel more tired I have lost about 5lbs in the last couple months and with the holidays it's not like I was eating less! So I see it...also around 8 months Dean still wasn't eating solids with very much consistancy so I was nursing every 2hrs minimum...I could see burning out around that time.