What Causes Postpartum Depression
A friend of mine has been told by her doctor that b/f prolongs PPD because
b/f maintains the hormonal imbalance that kicks off PPD. Does that sound
true - or like garbage?
Given the number of women I've known who have gotten depressed BECAUSE they
had to stop breastfeeding (or thought they did) for some reason, and felt
they had failed their baby, I would think, psychologically, that
breastfeeding would help. Depression isn't just hormonal.
The only research I've heard about is all the other way -- that women who
breastfeed are less likely to experience PPD. I'd ask for references.
As far as I'm aware, the reason postpartum hormones are in upheaval is that the
system is changing over from pregnancy to non-pregnancy. Lactation, in
contrast, once it gets going, is a steady state kind of thing that can go for
years. If anything, while periods are delayed, it is a less changeable kind of
state than the ordinary menstrual cycle. But I don't know anything of the
actual biochemistry, so this may be all just romancing.
I read about this, since I had PPD. Bf is actually good for depression.
The oxytocin release when nursing makes the mother feel happier and
more relaxed. Abrupt weaning usually brings on more depression. Her
doctor is full of it, imo. My PPD is resolved with Zoloft at 9 weeks pp
and my DD is exclusively bf.
I do not have a reference for this, but I was told by a lactation
educator (not consultant), that breastfeeding reduces PPD (not in
everyone, of course), and exclusive formula feeding increases the risk
(again, not for everyone), she said, because if you never nurse, and
you're engorged, your body comes to 'believe' that your baby is no
longer around, which historically has been a definite cause of
depression (e.g. neonatal death, forced adoptions).
This (what I've posted here) sure sounds like a bit of undocumented
pro-breastfeeding lore to me, but it also rings slightly more true than
the story your friend's Dr. told her. Wouldn't a *lot* more women in
the pre-formula era have been depressed?