POLL: Do You Feel: depressive feelings/hollow feeling in stomach when breastfeeding? - Page 2

[ahdoula]

Originally Posted by Viola

Interesting. I experience those hopeless feelings, but not linked to breastfeeding. In the early days I would have strong sleepiness and thirst. All throughout my life intense feelings of elation were associated with thirst for me, and I once wondered if it was significant that anti-depressants lead to dry mouth, but I didn't get euphoria with breastfeeding thirst.

Nursing an older child, latching on has sometimes produced intense feelings of panic, feeling entrapped and needing to fight my way out. I would induce muscle cramps or invoke a sensation elsewhere in my body to help calm that response. Or sometimes I'd just end the nursing session. But I imagine that is unrelated as well.

Are the depressive episodes while nursing worse at certain times of the day for those of you who experience them?

I like that question, I have never asked it before.
Mine is worse in the early/late evening, before I go to bed but when my nursling is going to sleeping, or sleeping.

[GooeyRN]

I feel extremely anxious right before and during let down, and for a bit thereafter. Thirsty, too.

[ahdoula]

any more mamas?
I am hoping to get 100. Souds like DR HALE mayb be talking with my LC this week and we want NUMBERS!!!!

[aschmied]

Originally Posted by ahdoula

I have been talking to un-named lactation guru today and she was thinking about the cause beiong connected to precipitous birth. I know I had one, but what about you other women with D-MER (depressive milk ejection reflex) Did you guys have long slow or normal labor and births? Or precipitous births? (defined as a labor that lasts less than three hours.)

Well, I had a precipitous birth (1.5 hours, and that only 'cuz I didn't push in the car - truly awful... ). No, I don't have this, for which I am grateful. I never have enjoyed letdown (first born wasn't precipitous) but that's a physical thing, apparently linked to oversupply and overactive letdown. It just hurts.

[ahdoula]

Originally Posted by aschmied

Well, I had a precipitous birth (1.5 hours, and that only 'cuz I didn't push in the car - truly awful... ). No, I don't have this, for which I am grateful. I never have enjoyed letdown (first born wasn't precipitous) but that's a physical thing, apparently linked to oversupply and overactive letdown. It just hurts.

Oh, thanks mama, that's helpful!!

[tree-hugger]

Originally Posted by ahdoula

I have been talking to un-named lactation guru today and she was thinking about the cause beiong connected to precipitous birth. I know I had one, but what about you other women with D-MER (depressive milk ejection reflex) Did you guys have long slow or normal labor and births? Or precipitous births? (defined as a labor that lasts less than three hours.)

I have this problem with nursing, but the birth was the opposite of precipitous--4 days of labor, 24 hours of pushing, homebirth turned into C-section.

[ahdoula]

Originally Posted by tree-hugger

I have this problem with nursing, but the birth was the opposite of precipitous--4 days of labor, 24 hours of pushing, homebirth turned into C-section.

Oh hugs mama! But thanks for letting me know!

[ahdoula]

ETA: Updating research resources, I will post more info when I am done

if anyone has the time, a poll!! Thanks!

Sorry if ya' all feel like a bunch of guinea pigs!!

[slowjig]

Ahdoula, thank you so much for continuing to chase this issue down.

Typically, I experience a horrid feeling of numbed panic and dread about 30 seconds before my milk lets down. I now can predict ejection just because I feel like such utter crap immediately before. It's not exactly a physical sensation, but the emotional weight is so oppressive it can feel like a metaphorical weight pushing me down. Usually, the feeling goes away after a few minutes of nursing my almost 3-month-old.

I won't discontinue nursing, but while I'm experiencing the horrible feelings, the thought of quitting crosses my mind. I also toyed with the thought of going on anti-depressants, but so far I've not pursued that.

For the record, I did not experience this with my first son. My pregnancies were similar; I gained the same amount of weight ( a lot), and had scheduled c-sections for both (please no flaming). This pregnancy was actually far less emotionally stressful than my first due to decreased job pressures. I do think that my milk ejection reflex is even more violent than during my first nursing experience.

If I think of anything else, I'll post. Thanks again!

[MilkTrance]

Originally Posted by ahdoula

I have been talking to un-named lactation guru today and she was thinking about the cause beiong connected to precipitous birth. I know I had one, but what about you other women with D-MER (depressive milk ejection reflex) Did you guys have long slow or normal labor and births? Or precipitous births? (defined as a labor that lasts less than three hours.)

My labour was 15 hours and I had severe D-MER.

[Fanny1460]

I replied No and I've been bf for nearly 2 years now...

[KLM99]

I replied yes - I'm so glad to hear so many others have this problem too. Whenever I start breastfeeding, I suddenly feel really sad and empty and I think to myself, "hm, I wonder what's wrong" and then I realize, oh, I'm just breastfeeding again. It passes within about 15 seconds. Very strange. It doesn't really bother me, but it is odd.

[ellymay]

Yup though w/ each child it has gotten less and less noticable. For me it makes me feel like I am homesick.

[principii]

I didn't realize until I came across this thread that this is what I'm experiencing! I just thought I was a freak, or that it's PPD "on occasion"... wow wow wow.

Originally Posted by ahdoula

I have been talking to un-named lactation guru today and she was thinking about the cause beiong connected to precipitous birth. I know I had one, but what about you other women with D-MER (depressive milk ejection reflex) Did you guys have long slow or normal labor and births? Or precipitous births? (defined as a labor that lasts less than three hours.)

I had a four hour labor and delivery, hm.

[hookahgirl]

Wow this is new to me, but Im sure I had this while nursing my DD.
I would feel soooo homesick and anxious at the same time, it was the weirdest feeling in the world. i was so sad for a few minutes every nursing. I just wanted my mom LOL Oh and that feeling in the pit of my stomach too.
I pushed through and it got better, but I never got my appitite back while I was nursing.

[ahdoula]

Thanks for everyones replies!

Something a little more "fun" now. I am working on putting together advocacy materials (hand out, poems, art, etc.) Anyone want to vote for the favorite photo that best shows how D-MER feels?

Here is the album link, about 13 to choose from! Thanks for all your help mamas!!

-voting closed- thanks for you help! Photos can be seen on my blog!

[bellacymom]

I clicked yes but I only had those feelings in the beginning. Now occasionally I will feel strange kinda like restless leg syndrome which I have but it seems to be brought on by a letdown.

[tree-hugger]

My first baby is 3 months old. I'm wondering if the D MER is likely to go away anytime soon or if I'm going to be stuck with it until she weans. Also, has anybody found anything that can be done to make it go away or become less severe?

[ahdoula]

Originally Posted by tree-hugger

My first baby is 3 months old. I'm wondering if the D MER is likely to go away anytime soon or if I'm going to be stuck with it until she weans. Also, has anybody found anything that can be done to make it go away or become less severe?

Well, this is something that being worked on. So far everything we have is very unofficial and done by trial and error, until further lab work is done. And I am not sure if the suggestions work for everyone or not. (and take this advice as you would advice from a friend, I am not a medical professional!)

-nicotine seems to make it better (not telling to smoke just letting you know!)
-alcohol seem to makes it better (not telling to drink just letting you know!)
-a full stomach and eating in general seems to make it worse
-an empty stomach seems to lessen it
-D-MER seems worse with spontaneous letdowns so try to minimize them
-It seems to be better during the night-so nurse more at night so maybe there would be less day time nursings
-Caffeine may aggravate it
-Keep yourself distracted while nursing, often mothers notice it much less when talking to another person (in person or on the phone)

Some mothers find it goes away with in 6 weeks, I have found mothers who still have it while nursing their 2 years olds. Though as the baby gets older the frequency seems to lessen. The D-MER forum that I posted about in the first post is a good place to ask some of these questions too, as that forum continues to get more members.

hang in there mama!!

[columbusmomma]

Originally Posted by Llyra

I've never heard of this before, and it surprises me that some mamas experience this. What I experience with letdown is exactly the opposite-- I get a cozy, drowsy feeling that feels just like how I feel when I crawl into my bed after a long day.

Me too!