breastfeeding support

Join

Low Blood Sugar

Options
RBXChas
RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
in Social Groups
Do any of you ever get low blood sugar? Probably for the past month or so (I'm almost 6 months pp) I've been having issues almost daily around 11AM. My baby tends to nurse then and nap afterwards, so I wonder if it occurs because my body is gearing up for him to nurse (whether he nurses or not). It rarely happens any other time. The only time I remember it happening at a different time of day was after a long car ride and then nursing because it had been quite a while since I had eaten anything. Today I had a small decaf skim latte around 9:15 thinking it would help tide me over until lunch, but around 10:45 I started getting shaky, hot, and weak. I put my baby down on his play mat and drank a few sips of my older son's grape juice then had a banana. (I *always* put my baby down when I feel this way on the off chance that I feel so weak that I drop him. I've never gotten that weak, nor have I ever passed out or felt like I was going to.)

This isn't totally uncommon for me when I'm not nursing/pregnant if I haven't eaten in a long time, and I've never been diagnosed as hypoglycemic or with having thyroid issues (nor am I diabetic and taking insulin). I just think it's weird that I had been EBFing for five months or so before this came up, meanwhile I've been eating the same thing for breakfast for months (around 7AM) without issue.

At 4 months pp I finally got my calorie intake under control so I could still BF and lose, so I'm eating 1800 calories/day. I think I just need to work in a snack or eat more protein-laden (or just bigger) breakfast. I currently have coffee with half and half and coconut oil as well as 1/4 cup (dry) of steel-cut oats with a Tbsp of peanut butter.

Does anyone else ever experience this? If so, what worked for you as far as battling it? I'd rather figure out how to avoid it rather than deal with it after the fact because it happens almost daily and is mega annoying.

Thank you!

Replies

  • Jillsie11
    Jillsie11 Posts: 249 Member
    Options
    I was in the same boat as you- never diagnosed as anything, but it's happened to me whether pregnant, not pregnant, or breastfeeding.

    The only advice I have is to eat SOMETHING every few hours. I'm a firm believer in eating small amounts 5 times a day. When pregnant and breastfeeding, I'd always eat breakfast, a small morning snack, lunch, a small afternoon snack, supper (and even sometimes an evening snack). I'd say eating more often would help as well as eating more protein-rich foods. Good luck!
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Options
    Thanks! It's super annoying. I'm thinking possibly yogurt or a protein shake mid-morning. Protein won't do it if I wait until it hits me - only carbs, so I have to make sure I have been eating enough so it doesn't hit at all.

    Glad I'm not the only one, though!
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    I have to watch my blood sugar when I'm pregnant, I'm usually fine when I'm not pregnant because I'm active enough to keep it stable over time (I've got a strong family history of diabetes).

    I need to eat when I wake up. My blood sugar begins to crash if I don't have a decent breakfast (i.e. protein). Your body fasts overnight, and if you don't give it some fuel in the morning, your liver dumps the energy reserve tank to keep you going until mid-morning. Then you crash. Nursing only exasperates the problem because your body redirects energy towards making milk, instead of keeping YOU going (another mommy self-sacrifice! Just like not getting your hair done ever or having a chance to pee alone. I digress).

    You need some fuel, mama! (easier said than done, I know...)
  • cocolo89
    cocolo89 Posts: 1,171 Member
    Options
    Yes!!! I get the same. Also really nauseous if I dont eat on time. I always keep a granola bar in my purse or some.kind of snack. I wish I could say it gets better, but I've been dealing with it since I first got pregnant. Hopefully it goes away after I'm done nursing. I noticed its not as bad now that I started my period
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Options
    Today I had a protein shake mid-morning, and no crash :)
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    Mmm protein shake! Glad it worked!
  • jls8209
    jls8209 Posts: 450 Member
    Options
    Are you back on birth control? The reason I ask is because I used to have early morning fainting/near fainting spells, and they disappeared when I stopped using hormonal BC. The only faint spell I've had since being off BC was when I was 10 weeks pregnant, which leads me to think that it could be linked to hormones, and not just low blood sugar.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Options
    Are you back on birth control? The reason I ask is because I used to have early morning fainting/near fainting spells, and they disappeared when I stopped using hormonal BC. The only faint spell I've had since being off BC was when I was 10 weeks pregnant, which leads me to think that it could be linked to hormones, and not just low blood sugar.

    No BC here, but that's a good thought. Sad as it is (and I can't believe I'm admitting this), but I haven't done anything to cause pregnancy... It helped that we were co-sleeping and that he wouldn't nap in his crib, either.

Categories