Weaning and depression

[zabel]

Hello everyone,

I dropped my daughter's morning feed a month ago, on her second birthday. A week ago, I started cutting out her one remaining feed, which is at night.

Going fine except that for the last three days I have been feeling quite depressed, something that feels like really bad PMS.

The change was very abrupt. I have since read online that the hormonal changes associated with weaning can bring this on.

I am otherwise happy to be weaning, and my daughter seems relatively ok with it too. At the moment, we're one night on, one night off, happy to continue that for a while. No hurry.

But I am a little freaked out by this; after thinking through the possibilities about what could have brought this on so suddenly, the penny dropped at about 2am!

Has anyone else been through this?

[zabel]

Sorry, forgot to add that the Australian stuff I've been able to find online is pretty much about postnatal depression and weaning - ie, weaning not long after birth, or in what's roughly known as the postpartum period; and so much of it is about problems establishing breastfeeding, which I feel doesn't really apply in my case. Or about people who are already on antidepressants, which I am not.

The only stuff I have been able to find is from the US.

[aimz78]

hi Zabel,
I have not weaned yet, but most certainly feel that I will go through a "depression" of sorts while my hormones change, I think i have felt this at times when my DD is feeding infrequently. I think that breastfeeding promotes "happy" hormones and it will also be a bit of an emotional change when we don't have the "closeness" of breastfeeding.
I hope this gets better for you soon

[Netix]

I will say basically what Aimz said. I think I am putting off weaning Ryan entirely as I expect to feel down, as I did when I weaned Steph, but also I imagine because I won't have that real closeness anymore.

Sorry I'm not much help.

[~Raven~]

I reccon I get like that!

Partly for me I think it is sadness from stopping and I also think it is hormonal. Have you had a period yet at all? It could be AF related...

[Kylie S]

Hi everyone.
I've been trying to find information on this myself.
I weaned my baby to a full bottle 4 weeks ago and have been struggling with intense pms style hormones ever since. I have never been a jealous partner or "skitish" with pms, but i seemed to have turned into a mental crazy woman at the flick of a switch. Even my partner texting his friends is like he is clicking a pen in my ear to **** me off! ....I am getting better, but it is very intense. I am thinking of getting something to chill me out from the Dr. but really don't want to. I have been burning calming/relaxation oils and the do seem to keep me level to some extent.

So basically, you're not alone with this one. Please if you find anything else out i would love to know myself.

Cheers,
Kylie.

oh, forgot to mention, this is my first baby and she is 7 months old.

[MantaRay]

I am not sure where I read this, but I believe there can be a link between weaning (at any age) and depression. It might be an idea to talk to a GP about options for dealing with it - hopefully with good management it should pass.