Why is a nursing mother exhausted?

Breastfeeding burns more energy than you might think—you burn about 500-700 calories daily, equivalent to light exercise. Plus nighttime feedings break your sleep; you can't sleep uninterrupted. Your body constantly works to make milk, using water, protein, and fat stores. Add all this to caring for baby throughout the day, household tasks, and sleep loss—exhaustion really piles up. So don't think "I must be doing something wrong" about this tiredness—it's the natural result of such heavy physical demands. Taking small breaks and remembering to drink water make a difference. But if exhaustion reaches extreme levels, dizziness, or all-day weakness, checking for thyroid issues or iron deficiency is good.