exclusive breastfeeding going well-but have developed excruciating headaches. is it related?

[violeteyes]

dd is now 19weeks, feeds roughly every 3 hours day and night-feeds for ages. i am drinking loads and loads, doing alright i think. ds, 2.3 i also fed, very similar pattern and i don't remember this. i never normally suffer from headaches, been 3 days now. i am generally quite run down i think, but this is new. will see gp, but want to be prepared regarding breastfeeding iuswim.

Well don't know really but it could be a vitamin deficiency, are yout trying to do too much, are you resting enough? Are you drinking tea and coffee? if you are then they will dry you out and any water will just be used to make milk and then you will be dehydrated.

There is a rare condition called lactation headache which is thought to be caused by the hormone oxytocin that makes the milk flow. Oxytocin also is present during sexual intercourse and some women also get headaches during orgasm, that is called orgasmic cephalalgia.

I am reporting this information from Breastfeeding, A Guide for the Medical Profession by Ruth Lawrence, MD, page 532, 4th edition. She says that your pulse and blood pressure should be tested while nursing or when you get the headache to see if they are involved. She says some in some cases the headache subsides while nursing, after the surge of oxytocin has slowed down. Other normal headache treatments can be tried to see if anything helps. If not, then it may be lactation headache. It will go away when you stop nursing. Have you had any other troubles with headache before this?

i found this here

Headaches occurring during lactation, where there is no other apparent physiological cause, can usually be categorized under three general headings: those related to hormonal changes or other lactation-related triggers (deemed to be true lactational headaches); those no different from headaches experienced by the general population and not influenced by lactation; those triggered by a combination of factors (Thorley 2000).

Thorley (2000) identifies two main types of lactational headaches. Type 1 appears to be linked to the surge of oxytocin at let down. Some women experience this headache during the feed rather than at the beginning, and this may be linked to let downs which occur throughout the feed. Type 2 headaches are different in that the let down brings relief, the pain appearing to be caused by overfull breasts. This type of headache may, however, be the precursor of mastitis.

Diary keeping may be helpful in identifying and avoiding triggering factors for lactational headaches. Such information as the date, time and duration of the headache, and any other identifying factors, could be helpful (Thorley 2000).

Non-pharmacological treatments such as physiotherapy and breathing and relaxation exercises may be recommended. Some mothers have successfully used techniques such as chiropractic and lymphatic drainage, though these treatments have not been assessed (Thorley 2000).

Over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen, paracetamol and panadeine may be used to treat these headaches. Where stronger medications are required the effects on the breastfed baby need to be taken into consideration. In some, very rare cases, these headaches are so debilitating that the medication necessary for pain relief is not suitable while breastfeeding (Askmark & Lundberg 1989).

this was found here

thank you so much-will feel so much more prepared for gp {usually a bit puzzled by what she seems to see as militant feeding!}

I would have thought it's more to do with blood pressure or something. I had moderately high blood pressure after birth and always had a headache because of it! Also, you have been breastfeeding for ages now and they have only just come on! Surely you would have got them when you were at the height of breastfeeding at around 12 weeks?!

i remember getting headaches if my shoulders were tense when i was breast feeding ds.

three days of headaches though? when you dont normally get them.. i would think you were poorly.see your doc

i get headaches each time i breastfeed terrible ones ( not every feed but each child iyswim)

I started with them after dc3 and am now feeding dc6 18 weeks

they hang about behind one eye and then spread

The only other time i got them was during fertility treatment so i assume it is hormone related...hth poor you x

I used to get headaches when feeding because of poor posture - I got a pillow to plonk the baby on and they went away.

Tis much more likely to be that you are sitting down and you are knackered and fighting sleep and that actually can give you a headache too!

Not really adding anything but my migraines have returned and I am BF. No pattern and not all time but def more frequent than usual. I put it down to hormones and interrupted sleep.

agree km

No advice but just to say that I have been having more headaches and migraines while bf - I'm sure it's hormone related. Have had some absolute whoppers. Hope you feel better soon. I do find that a paracetamol at the very first twinge can help.

I had this with ds.

As soon as I'd finished feeding him I'd get a terrible headache (this started when he was a week or so). I had very high BP immediately post birth.

Try drinking a ton of water. This helped when I was sooo hungry. Apparently not drinking enough (not alcohol!) can manifest itself by headaches...

thanks-they seem to be easing off by themselves during the last couple of days. just to clarify, headaches are not happening during or even obviously around feeds, although as they are most of my time.....

hormones, bit of a bug, may be the answer. will still get to gp at some point soon though just to check bp etc-though usually very low