For mothers who have breastfed

Pixie_tired · Post by **Pixie_tired** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:33 am

hello everyone, it has been a very long time since i have posted. a year possibly. i stopped breastfeeding two weeks ago and i am noticing a shift in my mood, very edgy and lately have been noticing i'm going over my mistakes that i have made in my life and feeling guilty again. i am wondering if others went through a strange hormonal change after stopping breastfeeding. i have been so great for about a year with my anxiety and ocd. and the last couple days i have noticed things here and there coming back in. need to put my skills in check again. just curious?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:14 am

I also have gone through this with both my 3rd and 4th children. I also had these 2 only 15 months apart and after my 4th I told people for a long time that I didn't feel myself and was thinking that there was some hormonal changes going on. My youngest is 2 1/2 but now I have been dealing with anxiety again so I think that all moms go through some type of hormonal/ chemical change after we have kids and are bodies all react in different ways. Mine lasted about 6 months or so and may have some link to post partum depression I don't know.You are not alone though and my mom and a good friend has also gone through this and described this to me the same so I think you'll be fine your body needs to just adjust again back to normal. Take care Bobbie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:27 am

i do worry though that since having my daughter last july that i have really been so good with keeping my ocd in check and not letting it bother me. i heard when you get prego that sometimes if you are anxious, the hormones almost stabilize you. i am worried now that i have stopped breastfeeding that my hormones are shifting back to what they were before i was pregnant and that i will become what i was before ever getting prego. i do believe that my therapy helped get me out of it yet at the same time i worry. i was pregnant while i was getting therapy from a really good therapist that taught me the necessary skills to overcome this and it has been a year since i've seen him. could also just be that i am taking a small step back for a bit.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:43 am

Hello-

I had 4 kids in 5 years, and thus had hardly any time that I wasn't pregnant or nursing

But, I noticed this same issue ALOT after #4 quit nursing. And I noticed way more emotional PMS symptoms. Before I just had the cramps and sore boobs sometimes. After lots of searching around, I started taking bio-identical progesterone supplements and it's made a world of difference for me. Like-- before I was a jittery mess each day and sometimes could only focus on What if I have a heart issue? etc. This was with Paxil and having had some therapy, etc. Now- I have my moments but I am more even hormonally and have learned(from StressCenter.com and other places) how to let stuff roll off or not even get tangled up in it in the first place. I would have to say that it helped me enjoy my children and husband more because it helped me to stop focusing on ME and I was able to look outward at life.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:44 am

I totally agree with you because the 4 time I was pregnant I did not expierence anxiety like I do now, I think for me being pregnant and breastfeeding helped ALOT and now that i'm done my body doesn't know what to do after being pregnant 4 times and going throught ALL the hormonal changes you body goes through. I also heard from a friend that the birth control pill doesn't help with depression because of the hormones in it and I have never heard this before. She actually got off the pill because of it and I am considering do that also to see if there is any change. Are you on any meds now? Bobbie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:34 am

if you're asking me if i'm on meds i am not. i have been off for two years and personally didn't find that they helped. what helped was this program and initially my therapist who worked with me to minimize my obsessions.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 5:49 am

Pixie: Your hormones will continue to fluctuate for several months after ending breastfeeding (I forget..it is at least 3 months and maybe more like 6 months). Try not to worry about what will come next, you can take each day/week at a time. You said the program really helped you, so it might be a good time to go through it once again. I'd start with lesson 3. Be patient with yourself as your body adjusts to those changes.