How Depression Impacts the Nursing Mom
By Teri Brown
Postpartum depression (PPD) can be very isolating and often misunderstood. Somehow or another the most joyous experience of life just isn’t. The baby blues are a very common part of childbirth and generally only last a few weeks. The mothers affected usually respond to reassurance, empathy and rest, but an estimated 10 percent of new mothers will suffer more severe symptoms lasting much longer than the typical baby blues, constituting true PPD.
Breastfeeding may have a positive impact on the depression.
What’s Happening to Me?
PPD is part of a range of psychological symptoms that usually occur within the first year after childbirth. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and sadness prevail. Dr. Paula Schreck, the medical director of breastfeeding support services at St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, Michigan, says the exact cause of PPD is not known. “The cause of PPD is uncertain, although the dramatic and sudden drop in estrogen and progesterone after delivery most likely contributes to the disease,” she says. “However, the postpartum period is a time of unique stress, making emotional factors likely contributors.”
Clinical psychologist Rosalind Dorlen believes the issue is so important she is working on the state of New Jersey’s PPD awareness initiative along with New Jersey’s First Lady, Mary Jo Codey. Dorlen believes that women are more susceptible to depression when their children are babies than at any other time in their life. “With the surging tide of postpartum hormones, sleep deprivation, persistent noise, changing body image, role in life and loss of control of one’s own time, it is not surprising that so many women suffer from postpartum depression, even with a brand-new bundle of joy in the home,” she says.
What About Breastfeeding?
The good news about PPD is that it responds well to a range of treatments including psychotherapy, medication, and support groups—or a combination of the three. Another little known fact about PPD is that breastfeeding may have a positive impact on the depression itself, both hormonally and emotionally. “Breastfeeding can certainly have an impact on postpartum depression,” says Dorlen. “In fact, it may have a positive influence on mothers who are experiencing PPD. Oxytocin, which is one of the hormones that is released while breastfeeding, has been found to help women who are coping with depression.”
Lisa Betancourt from McMinnville, Oregon, believes the emotional benefits from breastfeeding her babies helped her combat PPD. “I absolutely believe that breastfeeding helped me stay connected to my babies,” she says. “Looking down into this little face and realizing that this little person counts on you for everything is an amazing, overwhelming feeling of satisfaction and even power.” Though Betancourt may have felt overwhelmed and depressed much of the time, she felt the time spent breastfeeding her baby made everything worthwhile.
Tamra Orr from Portland, Oregon, agrees. Her PPD was compounded by caring for two toddlers and an infant at the same time, but she feels that breastfeeding helped her cope. “By taking the time to just sit down and nurse and concentrate on the beauty of that moment, I felt refreshed,” she says. “I think it also helped balance the incredible hormonal fluxes I was having.”
Dorlen wouldn’t be surprised by these observations. “Breastfeeding is considered to be helpful for many women dealing with postpartum depression,” she says. “It helps moderate hormonal swings, increases endorphin levels and allows your body to regain hormonal balance slowly and evenly. Many mothers find the close, warm contact between themselves and their baby to be mutually comforting.”
Breastfeeding fosters a connection between Mother and Baby that is irreproducible with bottle feeding. Experts believe this connection can help to diminish the feelings of ambivalence and apathy toward the baby, which can occur with PPD. It also gives a sense of accomplishment that can help fight depression.
Get the Right Support and Information
It is important that women are given the support they need to breastfeed successfully, as the failure to do so may exacerbate the feelings of depression. “If a woman is having breastfeeding problems and has no one to help her, such as a knowledgeable friend, family member or lactation consultant, she may become depressed and feel an unnecessary sense of guilt and inadequacy,” says Dorlen. “Clearly, for some mothers, feelings of inadequacy, guilt and depression may be associated with breastfeeding challenges and can intensify postpartum depression.”
Dorlen believes many mothers fear that they have to stop nursing their baby when they are treated for depression and worry that medications to treat depression are not compatible with breastfeeding. “Unfortunately, the fear of being told to stop nursing can prevent a mother from seeking the medical and psychological attention that she needs,” says Dorlen. “To weigh all options, women need to talk to their healthcare provider, who can help them with the postpartum depression and breastfeeding.”
It is also important to note that while breastfeeding may certainly help with PPD it is of utmost importance that women suffering from PPD talk to their healthcare professional about the various treatments available. “Women with postpartum depression should be among society’s highest priority and deserve appropriate treatment … for themselves, their babies and also so that they do not have to miss out on enjoying one of life’s unrepeatable joys, the all-too-brief babyhood of each child,” says Dorlen.
