I'm tired, too (but I know why.) What foods will help?

Factual Questions
1

I know why I am tired – I am nursing a nine-month old and I am two months pregnant. I am taking a prescription prenatal vitamin from my last pregnancy. It is high in Vitamin C and Iron. I am getting enough sleep, but when I wake up, I always feel groggy, and like I can hardly move for an hour or so. I can’t even shower right off, because it is too energy-consuming.

The only thing I can think of to do is to change my diet, but it’s difficult. I don’t have the energy to really cook much, and my husband isn’t home to cook for me most nights. (He leaves for work around lunchtime and gets home around midnight.) It is also difficult if I make myself something that takes a lot of effort and then I still have to make something that the kids will eat. So are there foods that I can make easily that will give me more energy?

Oh, I also don’t have a microwave.

2

You might try eating some fruit when you first get up. That should spike your insulin levels a bit but safely. I would not recommend juice as juices tend to be very high in calories and some have additives like sugar. At least with real fruit it adds some fiber too.

Oh and increase your water intake. Water helps clear out the toxins.

If you like pop type drinks, I have found that drinking seltzer water increases my water intake but doesn’t add any sugars. The lemon-lime seltzer tastes like a 7 Up but with no sugars.

3

You’ve got a full plate! Other than changing your diet (and I agree that increasing your water intake may help), the only thing I can think of is to take walks. (I know, I know… first, amass enough energy to get out of bed, then think about exercise…) I don’t mean for this to sound facetious, but I’ve been in serious energy slumps before, and the only thing that get me out of it was to get the blood pumping. How practical/easy that is in your situation, I don’t know.

Hopefully it isn’t something more serious.

4

my boss told me that an apple will revive you better than a cup of coffe and without the side effects (for those sensitive to caffene). i don’t have a site though.

5

You are probably tired because of lack of continious sleep due to the feeding. Either that you became a very light sleeper ever since you’ve had the baby and dont go into the needed deep sleep. Food will perk you up but what you need is a good nights sleep. Ask hubby to help you out on that.

For a quick boost, foods high in sugar is great. Fruits and energy bars will do but beware of the quick let down it brings. It peaks your energy level real fast but brings it down just as fast.

For a more sustained pick me up, carbs are the best. Pasta, light breads, grains. Just remember to exercise to build up your energy when you take carbs or they turn into fat. :frowning:

Vitamin shots work real good but they tend to pump up the kid too, especially if you are breast feeding. Tell your doctor about your low energy. He might prescribe some b-12 pills or check you out for anemia.

6

techchick, is orange juice (no sugar added) included in the juice that isn’t so great for you? I have been drinking a lot of orange juice, lately. I will get dh to buy me some fruit, since I have been craving it anyway. Are citrus fruits any better/worse than other fruits? Those are my favourite.

InTransit, I do take a short walk to check our mail every day. It’s the best I can do, and it does help, especially with the cool air.

jwhee, I like apples, and I give up caffiene when I am pregnant, so that does help! Let’s see if it works!

X~Slayer(ALE), what kind of foods high in sugar? You don’t mean, like, candy do you? I thought I remembered from high school biology that things like candy were “fast sugars” that made you feel good quickly but wore off quickly, whereas fruits were “slow sugars” that gave a more sustained boost?

I doubt the problem is sleep-related. My son no longer gets up to eat during the night, and he sleeps in his crib, so he isn’t keeping me awake. Also I get to take naps when the kids nap.

Also, I am already taking a vitamin with B12 in it. During my last pregnancy I wasn’t eating well or taking my vitamins, and I almost became anemic. So, my doc prescribed these vitamins (they have Vitamin C, Iron, all kinds of Vitamin Bs, folic acid, and other stuff) and gave me just GADS of them for free. I have been taking them for about a week and a half.

7

Cessandra,

Generally, although with you being pregnant it might be a different story, most people shouldn’t drink juice of any kind really. Even kids, too many calories and the “high” from juice can be extreme. You might check with your OB though. Fruit offers you more dietary fiber and a safe amount of natural sugar.

You might increase your leafy greens too like a dark lettuce (not iceburg,) broccoli, peas, other veggies like red or yellow bell peppers, etc…Very bright colored veggies give you sustained energy.

While I am not a vegetarian, you might check with the OB to see if going to an almost vegetarian diet would be good for you.

Stay away from white pastas, white breads and white rice, those are simple carbs that do nothing but give you an extreme high spike of insulin. Work with whole grains and the like. I think lean meats would be okay. While I am not a doctor, those are the foods that give me energy. Whole grains are excellent in offering you a digestable and safe means of carbs. Steer clear of cookies, candies and other simple carbs.

Also, you might try Eggland’s Best eggs for a complete protein that is not hampered by hormones and by products. Eggs, cooked properly give you a good source of protien, but again check with your OB.

Basically, what I am saying is, choose whole foods as best you can. Eat veggies and fruits raw, choose lean meats and if at all possible, get them from the natural food store so there aren’t hormones and pesticides in them. Not only will your baby thank you, you will feel better.

And again, drink as much water as you can. Water is the best source to keep your system clean and your energy levels up.

8

I forgot to add, steer clear of coffee. If you need a slight caffiene boost, try Green Tea. It’s about 1/3 the amount of caffiene as a cup of coffee but apparently does have antioxident properties.

While that’s not been proven by the FDA, enough people have touted it’s benefits.

So maybe (again check with OB) when you get out of bed, an apple or orange or banana with a piece of whole wheat toast and a cup of green tea might just be what the doctor ordered along with your pre-natal vitamin.

I personally don’t believe in most vitamins and minerals, I think they are not absorbed like the companies tell you they are. I had a very difficult bout with adult acne. The zinc and the b complex seemed to be peed out and my body didn’t seem to absorb it all. I would rather spend my money on good foods than $10 on a supplement that doesn’t work. But that’s just me.

9

Damn, I am full of forgetfullness.

Listen to your body. If it claims to be hungry, eat. When you get home from the grocery store, cut up those veggies and have them readily available to much on at all times. This makes for effortless snacking and healthy snacking. Seems like a diet push but it’s true. I would pick a sliver of red bell pepper over a pretzel any day.

It is not unusual for people to nosh all day on food as long as it’s food that is healthy. Having cut up veggies available to you 24/7 can be the best thing for you when that need for food strikes. It gives you good energy and energy that remains rather than the spike of of typical “Western” snack foods like chips and crap like that.

If you need something to go with your veggies or fruits, don’t deny yourself. Have that full fat Ranch dressing with your carrot/celery sticks. Don’t get the low fat, most of them are filled with bad sugars and additives to make up for lack of flavor.

I was brought up around such whole foods and to this day I can only stand bad foods about once a month. Think of it as a way of life. Your children will thank you when they are in their 30s and prefer a carrot over a cookie at a social function. It’s not that they are weird but because they were brought up with good-for-you foods. At a party I always go for the veggies before I hit the dessert lane…At the end of the party I am not worrying about the food I injested. The next day I don’t feel bad and I have more energy than had I had a major insulin shock from sugary foods.

10

First of all, tell your doctor. I hope you have a regular schedule of visits set up with your OB already. The kind of exhaustion you’re describing sounds pretty intense, and eating more fruit (or whatever) is not likely to make an appreciable difference.

Strictly from my own personal experience (in other words, YMMV), there were two times I was that worn out while I was pregnant/nursing (although I never had to do both at the same time - you’re a good soldier). The first time, I turned out to have a thyroid problem which made my thyroid hormone level very low. It took a long time to get the problem diagnosed, because I thought it was pretty normal to be exhausted with a nursing infant and a toddler to care for.

The second time, I had a protein deficiency. I was nursing and eating a vegetarian diet without taking enough care to get the protein I needed. A pregnant woman requires 60-80 grams (6-8 servings) of protein and 300 extra calories a day. Nursing mothers require even more, and you’re doing both. The typical American diet contains plenty of protein, but if you’re not eating a typical diet, you might not be getting enough.

The main thing is to ask your doctor. If you don’t have a doctor yet, you might try calling the public health agencies in your area to ask them for some advice. Good luck, and take care of yourself!

11

InternetLegend,

Please keep in mind that a non-strict vegetarian diet can include things like cheese, eggs and even some lean meat, given that one isn’t afraid of eating eggs or meat provided it’s a healthy protein.

However, incorporating beans and the like can be a good substitute for meat and eggs provided it is combined with the correct foods to facilitate the proteins in the diet. I mearly suggested it as a possibility.

Her body is going through a lot of hormonal change. Lean meats, chicken or fish might be the right prescription provided she talks to her OB about her lethargy.

But I do believe that a well rounded diet is in her corner, enough to make her more energetic. Avoiding sugar shock like fruit juices and incorporating more foods that maintain a sustained energy source. Eliminating things like refined sugar and consuming those sugars that give a boost but have little “down” sides. Whole foods doesn’t steer you wrong.

Very colorful fruits and veggies are usually good in anyone’s diet. They give you useable nutrients that are not ever poopooed by any dietician.

Should she see her OB? Of course, I am all for it, but for practical sakes, she should increase her fruits and veggies to increase her energy. I can pretty much tell you or anyone this without a medical license.

A vegetarian diet may be prescribed for her considering her lack of energy. It wont hurt to increase the veggies and the fruits (not juices) in her diet but look to legumes and soy products to increase the hormonal levels she needs right now. I am NOT a vegetarian but maybe, just maybe, she needs to restict her protein intake from animal products, especially those that are processed or have hormones and anti-biotics added (sp). Again, a consult with her OB is warranted but many times when people are lacking energy, an increase in their vegetable diet is warranted.

My step-mom is “healthy woman” obssessed and from her research and her years and flipping years of studying diets…sometimes your body needs a break from the norm that you have given it. It can be a pain, literally, at first but energy foods tend towards the fresh veggies or fruits, each and every time. Sometimes a strong veggie/fruit diet is what the body needs. There is absolutely nothing wrong with increasing you fruit and veggie intake. You ensure you get the right proteins and you can have a good diet with veggie protiens…and my spelling sucks, sorry.