Weaning and depression

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?

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.

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 :hug:

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.

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...

:hug:

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! :rolleyes:....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. :)

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.