odd hormonal feeling while bfing

[alleykitten]

About a minute into breastfeeding 6mo ds I always get a strange rush of a pmt-like sensation. I feel deeply unsexy and generally negative and lethargic. This also happens when expressing milk. I'm generally a pretty happy new mother and have had an easy time breastfeeding ds. Because this happens like clockwork during every feed I'm assuming it's not some kind of repressed psychological tic.

I'd be very curious to know whether anyone else has experienced this or if I am imagining thing?

I have had this sensation when bfing and I've asked so many other mums about it and they've all looked at me like i'm a bit odd. You are the only other person that i've heard of so thankyou for this thread.

I can only describe it as a sinking feeling and whats really strange is even if i'm really hungry, if I start to bf I completely lose my appetite.

Your not on your own..It will be interesting to see what other replies you get.

I had this, almost had to grit my teeth and get through the first few mins and I was OK. I would get a rush of exhaustion, be light headed, cranky etc etc - this is when I was expressing. I knew it would happen and would get myself ready for the rush but hated it all the same.

I'm so relieved that other people get this too and I'm not making it up! You're right about the sinking feeling - that's exactly how it is for me.

I wonder if it has anything to do with the oxytocin released during let down? It feels like it's hormonal.

I've had a really odd 'grr' feeling at the beginning of a fed, only to be replaced by a massive surge at the end. It's totally normal to get large hormone releases.

Totally normal. It's due to the release of oxytocin, the hormone that causes the milk to eject (or let down). (It's actually the same thing that they give women in labour to speed up contractions.) Anyway, it has a weird cascade effect on your sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone), I don't remember the exact sequence, but in some women who are particularly sensitive (often women who get bad PMT) it can cause these feelings.
Wow, this came from a deeply buried corner of my pre-baby brain... never thought I'd need to remember endocrinology lectures ever again

It feels weird at first, but after the first month or so it's so pleasant and relaxing. I miss it now

I loooooooooooooooove nursing. Don't get that weird PMT feeling though.
Do get very ouchy huge let-down though.

Thanks for the endocrinology - makes perfect sense runs off to google