A link between weaning & depression?

I came across this article and thought it was very interesting. I've heard many anecdotal stories of women experiencing depression after weaning. Has any one here experienced this or know of someone who has? Did you know there was a suspected link?

 

I didn't know, but I have also heard of friends go though it post-weaning. It makes sense to me given that PPD can be exacerbated by hormone changes.. why wouldn't weaning have the same effect? Now that I think about it my anxiety got quite out of control post bf'ing too. I remember having a really bad panic attack that landed me in urgent care.

 

Very interesting. I wonder if anyone will pick up the research and run with it. I know when I am really stressed, I become very attached to breastfeeding and am adamant about not missing sessions, etc.

 

I felt really bad post-weaning, down, toally drained of energy, very snappy and irritable, could not bear to be touched etc. No fun for anyone in the family. I just assumed it was the hormone change and battled on. After several months it was DH who sent me to my doctor to discuss the possibility of a late PPD because he was so concerned. My doctor is very wise and gentle, a good listener and really helped me, he also recommended some herbal medicine that helps to regulate my hormones. So there was never an official diagnosis but I suspect I came pretty close. I am still so grateful to the midwives in the hospital who briefed DH on PPD and to DH for remembering and taking the initiative.

 

After my first weaned I had these strange thoughts that weren't there before. Like I'd come out of work and have this weird feeling that I'd forgot to drop her off at daycare and she'd been in the car all day. Always about her and always fairly irrational. I could talk myself down pretty easily and it passed within a month or so so I didn't see my doctor or anything but this article makes a lot of sense to me.

 

I nursed my DD through my twin pregnancy and then all three for about a month after the twins were born, so there was no noticeable difference when I weaned my daughter. I continued nursing the boys, and after a couple years our nursing sessions decreased to just morning and night, then just night until we were finally done at about 2.5 years old. I don't remember my emotions being affected, but do remember that I gained a terrible amount of weight towards the end of nursing and another jump when I was done. It was awful. I know weight gain can also be a symptom of depression, but I think it was a combination of having been pregnant and/or nursing for 3.5 years, being close to 40 (change of metabolism) and not changing my eating habits to reflect that I was no longer pregnant and/or nursing 2 (or 3!) babies. However, I can see how there would be a link. I imagine the link is even stronger in woman that already have a tendency towards depression, or a family history of depression.

 

My baby weaned in the last month and I find myself very blase. I feel nothing sometimes. Not empty, just no mood and no desire to do anything. It's not so intense that if I have something to do I can do it; just sort of like a cloud. I think it was beginning to lift but then I got sick with a cold so I still don't feel like doing much but figure that's probably related to the sickness.
 
I hate weaning.

 

i didn't notice a change i my moods post breastfeeding. we weaned very slowly. however, i did notice a clear positive mood swing when i started lactating.

i am an adoptive mom. i started pumping 7 months brfore the kids came. probably most moms get that boost from the oxytocin but would connect it to the arrival of baby rather than the lactation.

it makes sense it would work the other way too.

 

I'm probably the odd one but my mood improved after weaning. I nursed all 7 of my kids until 1yr old and I was soooooo happy to be done with it each time.