Link between feeling down and decreased breast feeding?

[chicca]

Has this happened to anyone?

My period finaly came back (DS is 10 months) after a while of breast feeding much less. This has coincided with feeling a bit down and unable to cope. I hear that this could be due to the "happy hormone" that is swimming around when you are bf.

A relative told me that it was around this time that she started thinking about childcare for her DS.

Ooh, i am feeling a bit down and teary - ds 8 months and has reallycut down feeding. wonder when it passes...

I have felt teary too. I don't think it does pass sadly, perhaps our system just re-adjusts?

Chicca, hopefully it's temporary and we'll be happy soon (though am v happy today - just had lovely birthday party for dd).
btw - still haven't got period back but feel as if I am about to any day now. Great

I'm also feeling the same. My dd is 9 months old on Wednesday, breast feeding 2 or 3 times a day. Unfortunatley Ive been having periods for a few months now. (((hugs to you)))

Lollyloo, my ds feeds about that (well, he feeds lots at night so is hard to tell how often). Wonder if that's why my periods not back yet.
Looked in book about postnatal depression at library today and it said weaning is a time when many women feel weepy and low due to change in hormones (prolactin levels reducing) - this can trigger any underlying depression.

Dinny, I forgot to say that I'm, still feeding night time too, including through the night, sometimes 2 or three times then! Eyes are hanging out recently as dd hasn't been sleeping through for a while, she's just recently cut 2 more teeth so I don't know what's bugging her now. I had a mirena coil fitted in November last year, I think the depression has a lot to do with that, thinking about getting it removed actually.

on the up side ?? once i had stopped breast feeding altogether [at 12 months]i felt emotionaly stronger which helped me cope with leaving ds with a child minder...whilst i was still feeding the thought of leaving him was too much.

its a tiring time in many respects.hugs to all.

It's strange how it comes and goes. I had a mental morning running around while DS had an unexpectedly long nap. I was just stressing about the state of the house, how the cats ruin all DS's toys, how I never have time to do anything etc etc

I too am breastfeeding way more at night than the day. I doubt whether there is a connection on that specifically though.

In some ways I'm reluctant to give it up because I can see how much it means to him and it can be really useful at times. Perhaps I am just putting off the inevitable?

Hugs to all other hormonals.

Lollyloo, my friend found she felt v depressed around the time she had a Mirena. It did abate after a couple of weeks though.
I am going back to work in two months' time (ds will be nearly 11 months). Am DREADING leaving him at nursery (2 days a week). But I really don't want to stop bfing, I love it
Thought ds was going to wean himself recently as just not interested in daytime feeding for a few weeks but think that phase may be passing (really hope it is). I am feeling pretty happy today - more because am losing weight quite fast now after months of being a blob . Feel really out of proportion though as boobs still pretty big (for me!) Hugs to all!

..I was the same as you and did eventually pluck up the courage to talk with a health visitor. Really interesting conversation too ! When you ffed you release Oxytocin (love hormone!!!) which makes you feel happy, when you stop obviously you don't get the happy hormones any more plus if periods start kicking in again regularly then you have all the ups and downs that your cycle throws in too....They are now talking (and some health authorities do already) checking women for PN depression at 8 months after the birth of baby for exactly the reason you mention. You ffed for around 6 months (or more) stop or reduce when you're thinking about returning to work...periods kick in and you just feel like sh** ! I didn't feel depressed, just very "flat" - no energy. no "spark", felt that I couldn't cope and just overwhelmed by everything....No magic cure for me, but managed to get through it ....

That's exactly it Steppy.

It's strange though, I don't want to even let myself get beyond merely speculating about the possibility of having PN. You can feel a bit depressed but have no idea whether you have "got it" (PN) or not.

That's very intereesting, Steppy - thanks for posting. I definitely think I had PND with dd (untreated) - that was a whole different experience though ass bfing went completely wrong so I had the feelings that provoked to deal with very early post-natally. Think maybe if it's baby-led weaning the blues are more gradual, maybe..... Hope so!

yes,thats exactly when i started feeling low and cycle when my ds was 10 months. i stopped feeding at 6.5 months though but it was when my cycle kicked in.

all these hormones flying around our bodies...