interesting article on breastfeeding reducing risk of post natal depression.

[toffee87]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28851441

A recent study showed breastfeeding can reduce the risk by up to 50%, but pnd dramatically increases in those who wanted to breastfeed but were unable too.

I've had a history of depression so it's definitely a positive article for me. Hoping I don't develop it.

 

[bumphope]

I saw that too, thought it was really interesting. I totally go with it too. There have been lots of tears here trying to work out how to get breast milk into my baby! I can see how being really unable to get breastmilk in if you wanted to would easily bring you down.

Omega 3 is meant to be very good at warding off pnd.

X

 

[overcomer79]

Actually breast feeding caused mine with dd and I ended up stopping at 3 weeks.

 

[yellowglow]

Interesting, never heard of breastfeeding causing depression. I guess hormones are a powerful thing huh?

 

[cupcaker]

Interesting. With my first, it was EASILY the SOURCE of upset (not "depression" but still). It didn't work out for us and bf was just a dreadfully painful inconvienience (as awful as that sounds). I would happily have gone through labour twice, if someone promised to click their fingers and stop the pain breastfeeding was. I stopped fully by 9 weeks.

I'm going to give BF a chance again with my new baby but will deffo not let it rule my life and get me down in those first weeks.

 

[Pearls18]

I suffered with a degree of PND with both boys and certainly felt BF exasperated it in both, not enough to make me stop but I did find BF stressful and the emphasis on me very overwhelming, but this is circumstantial not hormonal, I certainly relaxed more with both when I stopped at 9 and 8 months. Thankfully I think I managed to turn it into a motivator to "get through it" rather than a reason to stop.

 

[Lady_Bee]

I was definitely much more depressed after having DS1 and I desperately wanted to breastfeed but it wasn't working. For months I grieved the nursing relationship I couldn't have. I was just so, so sad over it and couldn't talk about it without crying.

I wasn't diagnosed with PPD but was on the brink and my HV was very concerned about me for a while.

This time around breastfeeding worked out fine, and I've been down in the dumps now and then because the sleep deprivation is HORRENDOUS, but I am having a much easier time emotionally.

Breastfeeding can have huge power for us women.

 

[Perplexed]

I think as another poster said, bf exasperated my pnd. it wasn't the reason I stopped and I regretted stopping but i relaxed a lot more since stopping. maybe in my case it was a cause but can't say for sure.

I'm now pregnant with number 2 and definitely going to give bf a chance when the time comes.