weaning related depression?any experience?

[lmp1505768]

Hello Ladies,
I have two children, though I only breastfed the second. My LO is almost ten months old, and eats a lot foods. He has 2/3 servings of veggies a day, one meat/fish/poultry option with lunch and dinner, and at least one serving of fruits a day. He still breastfeeds about 2/3 times a day, but only when he wants to. Usually right before bed9nap and night) and in the morning when he is still just waking up.He is HUGE, but evenly proportioned and his doctor has said that he can go to milk as long as he tolerates it and is eating from all food groups, but we haven't fully switched yet.

For the last month or so I have been...well,honestly, Ive been a total bitch. EVERYTHING my OH does irritates me(ok, NEARLY everything), I have WAAAYY less patience with my 3.5 year old, and I have just generally been really stressed out. and then BAM my first period hits(about four days ago). So i was like "ahh that explains it!"

so now im like a total nut case. im SO DEPRESSED. I have no problem loving my kids, but I hate everything about me or anything I do, I pretty much just want to lay in bed and cry all day.I have pretty much stopped dieting and exercising.because I just cant summon the energy. I totally lost control and broke down on the phone with my OH today, and then immediately hated myself for not being having more control of myself.

Ive read a little bit about depression related to weaning...but most things indicate it disappeared after the return of their fertility..... how long will I be a crazy lunatic...and is there anything i can do to feel better in the mean time?

 

[MindUtopia]

Yes, it is a real thing. I don't really have any information, but I did go through something similar, though that was largely related to depression from having to stop BF earlier than I originally wanted to. But when your body stops producing as much milk, your hormones change (partly to trigger your cycles again) and your body is just a bit off kilter. Apart from the whole wanting to keep BF when I couldn't thing (which probably isn't so much what you're feeling), I found just the transition back to having periods after pregnancy was really rough. For me it was around 5 months pp and my moods were really weird like yours and my skin became terrible (actually I developed an inflammatory skin condition that is related partly to stress that I never had before). I went back on the pill as a way to sort it out and it did help a lot. I always feel much better physically and emotionally on the pill. That might help you if you want to be on birth control (though if you are still BF, your options are limited). Otherwise, it might just take explaining it to the people around you and getting extra support until everything evens out again.