Depressed when bf or pumping?

OffLiCute

JNot sure if anyone else has posted about this, but when I pump I get really sad and down.  It doesn't happen any other time though.  Weird, huh?

 Its pretty bad though, to the point where I just want to stop... But then I feel guilty for considering giving up.

zebra759

My baby will be 2 weeks old tomorrow, and yes, I sometimes feel down too while pumping or breastfeeding.  I feel like I want to stop as well, but I know how much better it is for her.  I was told it was just hormones and baby blues, but idk, i never thought it was supposed to feel like such a chore either.

harleyjo

nlynch11:

BFing is challenging and takes time to get used to. It could just be that you need to ride it out, but it could also be a more serious condition called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, which is a recognized and treatable condition. If you think it's more than baby blues (especially if you only feel this way when BFing and not any other time) I'd do some research on it.

https://d-mer.org/

Good luck!

 

Interesting, I have never heard of this.  I don't necessarily think I have this, but I do get this rush of emotions when I start breastfeeding that is hard to describe.  I would mostly describe it as an anxious/ nervous feeling.  Very weird.  But it does go away after a bit.

OP, I remember this with my first LO also, but for me it went away over time because I nursed him for 13 months and I don't remember it happening after awhile. 

OffLiCute

nlynch11:

BFing is challenging and takes time to get used to. It could just be that you need to ride it out, but it could also be a more serious condition called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, which is a recognized and treatable condition. If you think it's more than baby blues (especially if you only feel this way when BFing and not any other time) I'd do some research on it.

https://d-mer.org/

Good luck!

 

I hadn't heard of this, but it seems to be exactly what I'm experiencing.  I'm glad that I'm not going crazy.  It's interesting that it isn't psychological, but rather physiological.  I was thinking maybe I had some pp depression, but I guess not.

 Thanks for the resource! 

AprilAngie

Never heard of this- this is interesting

marleyc

nlynch11:

BFing is challenging and takes time to get used to. It could just be that you need to ride it out, but it could also be a more serious condition called Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, which is a recognized and treatable condition. If you think it's more than baby blues (especially if you only feel this way when BFing and not any other time) I'd do some research on it.

https://d-mer.org/

Good luck!

 

Very interesting.  This happened to me with both of my DDs during the early days of BFing.  It would only last for about a minute and pass.  It stopped around 4 weeks pp or so.  I always thought I was imagining it.  Good to know there is actually a condition that causes it.  OP, I'd give it some more time and see if it goes away. GL!

mkflower3000

This might be a slightly different situation, but in the first month or so BFing made me feel INCREDIBLY isolated. I hated it and wanted to stop SO badly, but just couldn't bring myself to do it since I didn't feel like I had a good reason. I seriously hated everything about it except for the benefits that it provided DD.

Now I'm a lot more comfortable and at peace with it. It's gotten easier and faster, plus I'm used to it in general.

I hope that the sadness passes for you too! At some point - around 4-6 weeks - the remaining hormones are supposed to leave your body. I bet your sadness is somehow related to them!