Did you have a hormonal crash when you stopped breastfeeding?

[Lizbiz89]

I've heard lots about women suffering hormonal crashes when they stop breastfeeding? Was this true for you? Planning on giving up when my lo turns 1 but worried about feeling rubbish.

I stopped breastfeeding recently (DS is 4 years old and he never dropped feeds lower than 3 x a day as he was supposed to, so I had to make him go cold turkey) and experienced something I thought was peri (I’m old enough for it) but wasn’t. Basically hot sweats, anxiety, headaches, depression. It all resolved itself after I dried up.

No, not at all, but DS self-weaned so the feeds tapered down slowly and naturally.
You don't have to stop at 1 year. What will you give to drink or for comfort instead?
It's easier lazier to just keep going!

My DD self-weaned at 14 months and I didn't get any kind of issues other than my hair loss kept going on for several months afterwards.

No, neither time (12 weeks with DC1 and 10 months with DC2). However both times I did start the process of weaning onto formula weeks in advance so it was very gradual.

Had to stop at 9 months when I went back to work, felt fluey for a good week.

I stopped at 1 year; we were down to one very large feed at bedtime. I think I felt very mildly emotional for a couple of days, but definitely nothing major.

Took a good 3 weeks for my milk to dry up though.

Yep. Felt pretty dreadful while the hormones levelled out.

No but I breastfed til natural term which was 5 and half years for DD2.

Thanks for the replies. Seems like it's a mixed bag. I'm not sure if I'm definitely going to quit at a year but it's good to know what to prepare for when I do. At the moment I'm really suffering with phantom pms so it would good to have some regularity back.

I fed three of mine until three years old and the last one until he was four and half. There was no break so only have the last experience to go from and I did have a few night sweats, sore breasts for a week even though he was only feeding once a day by that point and I felt quite depressed - though I’m not sure if that was just that I missed the cuddles and that part of my life - I suddenly felt not needed in the same way and I didn’t like it so it may well have been that rather than a hormonal response tbh.. it wasn’t anything to stop everyday activities..

I suffered a massive emotional crash when eldest started dropping feeds after introducing solids. I couldn't work out what was happening and then it clicked 😬 They stopped BF gradually just before turning 3 but as I was BF baby2 I can't say I noticed any hormone shift then.

Baby2 is still BF at 17m and I had another massive emotional crash when baby2 went on a sudden nursing strike for a week and a half.

You don't have to stop nursing at 1yo if you and little one aren't ready. But if you do decide to stop then, I'd start doing it gradually in the run up to mitigate the hormone shift.

Good luck

I stopped gradually both times (was down to just one feed) so no issues. I did have the huge hormone crashes after pregnancy.

No, not at all, I was elated!

All three gradually dropped feeds a.d gave up the last one around 13 months naturally.

I felt like I got my life back

No but I stopped gradually each time which probably helped

It’s a long time ago but it was the reverse for me. I hadn’t realised that for me breastfeeding involved a low level tiredness that lifted when I stopped. I also felt less hot and sweaty and more together. Breastfeeding was entirely worth it though and a doddle after the first couple of weeks and I’d do it again without hesitation if I could go back in time. I did put some weight on when I stopped that took me a while to shed.

Weaned my son at 2 years 4 months. By this point he was only feeding twice a day though. I was surprised how much milk I still had when I stopped feeding. Deffo felt wobbly and a bit depressed for a few weeks after until my hormones balanced out.

I stopped bf at just over 2.5y. No hormone crash in terms of low mood or anything... but I got immediately pregnant with dc2 the very next month!

I think there are lots of benefits to bf for over two years

DC1 - we gradually reduced feeds but then went cold turkey when he was 14 months. I went away for a week work trip and that completely stopped. I was fine - think there was so many distractions and he was only taking small feeds then anyway.

DC2 - just about to turn 1 and she has started daycare so our feeds have suddenly massively reduced. She completely refused a bottle and so I’ve been BF quite a lot and I’ve really noticed it this time. I’m hoping the low mood doesn’t last too long.

I nearly started a thread on this same topic today. Recently stopped night feeds so just first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Feeling really low and weepy this week and craving chocolate - like pmt always was for me but worse ☹️ I feel like all the lovely baby hormones I’ve been basking in for the last year have suddenly evaporated. Hoping it will pass soon!