Depleting Calcium After Breastfeeding for years

[jlimdan]

Mummies,

Just checking if mummies who bf for years or tandem feed do have depleted calcium level in the body. What are the signs and what you do?

 

[aby]

Hmmm, I believe sure have especially if we don't have sufficient calcium intake supplements all these years.. 4 years back, went a free bone composition/mass test, foc by my GP and know that my bone mass has reduced a bit but not seriuos.. Was advised to take more milk and calcium rich food..

 

[bluechin]

Hi jlimdan,

So far i havent felt any signs of depletion.

Hilary Flower researched this question for the book Adventures in Tandem Nursing. She found three important facts that have come from the research of Dr. Ann Prentice in recent years:

1. Recovery of bone mineral density occurs BEFORE weaning. The recovery begins after the baby's diet begins to be supplemented with other foods or liquids (the "partial breastfeeding phase"). By 12 months breastfeeding mothers have fully recovered their bone mineral density.
2. If a mother becomes pregnant before the recovery is complete, bone mineral density increases during pregnancy, a phenomonon not usually seen.
3. Mothers who are tandem nursing fare the same as their breastfeeding peers.

Maybe the rest could share with us their experience.

 

[Amulet]

im drinking Anmum Lacta now.. dunno if its goin to help.. but it does provides extra nutrients for myself, if not my baby..

 

[mosupdate!]

It is a well known information that breastfeeding mothers tend to have some form of calcium depletion. My mother breastfed her 7 chidren and she began to have arthitis since she was in her fifties. I suppose, the key to reducing the calcium depletion would be to drink the milk as you breastfeed. I remember I did - the chocolate flavour milk - the brand name for which I cannot, for the life of me, recall what it is.

Alternatively, there are also calcium tablets that you can take. But I got a llittle constipated after taking the pills actually. A safer way would be to consult your GP and get her to recomment what's best for you.