Anyone else suffer with depression/mood swings when their child weaned off bfing?

[terramum]

Coz I am feeling rather low & alone atm . DS is 3.5 & hasn't really fed much in the last month or so & has refused every time I've offered in the last week. This has been a VERY gradual thing & totally led by him but even so I am really shocked by how down I have been . Yesterday I just couldn't stop crying & today I'm not much better with a short temper to match. Please someone tell me this won't last forever. I get quite bad PMS anyway & this just seems to be pushing me further over the edge...

I've just finished bf dd2 (she's just turned 12 months) and I'm soooo hormonal it's not funny. I've just spent the afternoon in tears because Shannon's been found and I'm a brusque northerner who doesn't do that sort of thing Also my hair is falling out like it does when you've given birth. It's very odd, this didn't happen when I stopped feeding dd1.

I don't suffer from PMS as a rule but both times that i stopped breastfeeding and my periods came back I was all over the place for a couple of months.

Couple of months!...not sure I'll survive that long

I had two weeks of emotional hell when dd self-weaned. She had her last feed just before she turned 2, and had dropped the other feeds very gradually over a period of months.

I stopped 17m ds2's night-time feeds 3-4 weeks ago, and had a week or ten days of misery again.

It will pass. It's not likely to take more than a couple of weeks, I think.

Yes! You're become addicted to those hormones .

Thing1's right, breastfeeding keeps your progesterone levels high/stable, I hope it all settles down for youy soon.

Did anyone take/do anything to help ease it? I've upped my supplements that I take for my PMS but it's not made much difference so far ....wondering if a trip to the GP might be in order...but not sure if she will be very clued up about this issue.

I was really miserable when DS stopped feeding but thought at the time it was due to being pg and the way it was so sudden etc. But I can see now, when feeding DD, that I get a high from it and I imagine that will be very hard to give up. I suspect hormones have A LOT to answer for.

How are you feeling about giving up in general? I know you say that it was baby led and gradual, but that doesn't mean you're happy with it? Would imagine MY GP wouldn't have a clue...

Definitely. I felt hit by a train - it was a full body blow of reality asserting itself after such a lovely long time of hormonal fuzz. I was in tears because I remembered that I'm really cross and impatient and irritable, not a serene, laid back, calm happy mummy. I lasted 6 weeks and then got pregnant again - just for the hormones, you understand.

It's so good to hear that other have gone through this.

Suzi2 I am feeling good about it on the one hand because he's had 3.5 years of goodness from me so well over the 'minimum' recommended.....but really sad that that part of our relationship is over. I didn't set out with any kind of target at first...but then through LLL & t'internet learned about child-led weaning & was happy to let him bf for as long as necessary...and this time last year I could see him carrying on for another few years & was prepared for that. The rather quick reduction over the last 6 months has taken me by surprise & I'm not sure I am ready to stop just yet . I had to work VERY VERY hard to get bfing going at the start & bfing has dominated (in a good way) my life ever since...hard to imagine life without it tbh.