BF while suffering from anxiety - has anyone managed it?

[smk84]

Hi - does anyone manage to BF their baby despite suffering from anxiety? I had a rough time trying to feed my son and had to stop (was devastated and it still upsets me now sometimes and he is nearly 2.5!). He wasn't gaining weight properly and I was getting very tense while feeding. People kept telling me to relax or it would hinder my let down, and that just made it worse and I got tense about being tense IYSWIM ! Ended up with very bad PND. I am much better now, but I still get very anxious about things, and we are TTC DC2 (so am trying to relax more but again getting worried about not being relaxed enough!). If we are lucky enough to have another, I so want to BF, but I'm not sure I will ever be relaxed enough for it to work. Just wondering if anyone has managed this. If so, did you take meds to help and still BF while on them? Thank you so much (and sorry for long post !!).

[WorzselMummage]

Yes, I did, for 18 months :) I found it very relaxing, oxytocin is quite lovely :)

I didn't take any medication while BF as I didn't want it to pass to my son, I was prescribed it afterwards though and have just come off it after 9 months. I feel fine now.

[EauRouge]

I used to suffer with anxiety but I got much better before DD1 was born so I didn't have any BF issues. Do you have CBT or any kind of counselling? Could you talk through with someone about relaxation techniques you can use? Best of luck TTC.

[smk84]

Thank you both. I have had CBT/counselling several times in the past but have never really found it helpful in the long term. Searching out relaxation techniques is a good idea - thank you. I have been trying to do a little bit of meditation.

[Haggisfish]

I found CBT a bit useless, too. I found breastfeeding incredibly relaxing and anti anxiety inducing actually - to the point where the only thing that could calm me down when feeling a bit anxious/uptight was breastfeeding! I breastfed for an entire flight once as it calmed me down. I took it one feed at a time, especially in the first six weeks. I am still feeding at 14 months and not looking forward to stopping. HTH!

[smk84]

Yes I found BF relaxing too when it was going well ! But when DS wasn't gaining weight and was very fussy and crying while feeding etc etc it definitely wasn't ! So glad to hear it's possible haggissfish - thank you !!

[theboobmeister]

Aww, smk84, sounds like you were already having a tough time and there were people telling you that your anxiety was bad for breastfeeding - how totally unhelpful is that!

Perhaps if you had some more supportive people around you this time that would help - maybe at a nice local BF support group? Worth investigating before DC2 arrives?