QuestionQUESTION: I'm almost 32, my new baby is 4 months old I'm exclusively breastfeeding.
I feel like I might be over emotional and i'm wondering 1) how long it takes after giving birth for hormones to regulate, and 2) can the breastfeeding hormones (or extra hormones) be causing me to be more emotional.
I know what I'm dealing with in my personal is big stuff also BUT it seems to me i'm going through a lot of mood swings.
any help on this and the reasons why my body is doing what it's doing is really appreciated!
thank you!
ANSWER: The birth of a child is one of life's most incredible gifts. While this may be the case, it is normal to experience a variety of emotions after giving birth. Some minor cases of "baby blues" are certainly normal in the postpartum period. If, however, you were to experience thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, I advise you to seek immediate medical attention. This could indicate a sever form of postpartum depression which is easily treatable by your ob/gyn. Please also understand that as a new mother, you will add exhaustion to your already stressful life as you adjust to your new role as a mother. This will certainly alter your moods and make you easily irritable and emotional. These are all very normal feelings to experience in the first few months of motherhood. These issues tend to resolve themselves within a few weeks to 6 months postpartum. Each and every case is different as your body adjusts to the significant hormonal changes. I do not see breastfeeding being a major factor when it comes to your emotions. While it may add some additional stressors to your life, feeling overwhelmed by your need to nurse your baby and put everything else on the back burner, the benefits to your baby are absolutely worth it all. I commend you for your choice in breastfeeding, just keep reminding yourself that you are giving your baby the best start you possibly can. I hope I have answered your questions and I wish you the best of luck. If you should have any more questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask. God bless.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Hetherington
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: No thoughts of harming her or anyone else I don't feel depressed I can just cry easily now... not as easily as when I was pregnant but pretty easy!! I more wanted to know if there was a hormonal imbalance caused from ebf or if I just haven't regulated yet since I'm only 4 months out. Actually I feel more protective over this baby than my eldest, I was just 20 giving birth to him though.
Answer80% of new mothers feel exactly like you do in the first few months after childbirth. This is known as baby blues and is due to the sudden drop in hormones, and the newness of the situation. It will go away. However, if you still feel on the verge of tears for several months, you may be experiencing postpartum depression.
The challenge in finding the source of your overly emotional state is to determine whether you're just overly tired, possibly anemic, or lacking in some vitamins, or whether you are actually experiencing depression. Breastfeeding produces the hormone prolactin, which by its nature causes an increased appetite. There is no definitive link between prolactin and oxytocin that are produced regularly while breastfeeding and signs of depression. It has been said that the fairly quick decreased amount of hormones in a woman's body after birth are enough to cause emotional distress alone. As I said earlier, when you add in the stress of a new schedule, lack of sleep and the battling of hormonal differences, it is easy to experience this sadness. Unfortunately, postpartum depression can last up to a year postpartum. You should talk to your OB/GYN to determine whether you could use some medication or whether you just need to reorganize your life and take some vitamins to get past the exhaustion that is causing your tears. I certainly wish you the best of luck. Congratulations on your new bundle of joy.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Hetherington
