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Did you know the stress of initiating breastfeeding raises a woman’s cortisol levels, in turn decreasing her milk supply? It’s a vicious cycle a new mother attempting nursing for the first time can be seriously affected by. However, studies have shown that once women got breastfeeding going successfully, they had lower cortisol levels and lower levels of depression. Supporting a woman in those crucial early weeks post birth is important yet it seems this is where our health system fails us.
Around 65% of new mothers experience the baby blues in the first
two weeks postpartum. Without any reason, they are all of a sudden in tears.
They may feel sad, restless, exhausted, and worry about the lack of happy
feelings that are supposed to experience with the birth of her baby. In most
cases, these baby blues are limited to about two weeks and are a completely
normal occurrence partly due to a rush of hormones. But for some woman, giving
birth triggers something more serious than a simple case of Baby Blues.
Postpartum Depression, also called PPD, can affect a new mother's ability to
look after her baby. This requires immediate medical attention.
In some cases a mother develops a postpartum psychosis. The
symptoms and feelings are much stronger than with a postpartum depression and a
mother may harm herself or her baby. Medical treatment and admission to
hospital may also be needed.
In some cases, breastfeeding contributed to depression by
increasing women's sense of being trapped by the dependency of their babies at
the expense of their own well-being, and intensifying their feelings of
responsibility for keeping their babies alive.
The time spent nourishing and bonding with your baby can be one of the most rewarding experiences a new mother ca Having a baby causes so many changes in a woman’s life. The demands of caring for a new baby 24/7 accompanied by the lack of sleep, combined with the hormonal shifts of pregnancy and childbirth, can take a huge toll on new mothers.
Modern mothers face a lot of pressure be it financial, marital,
maternal or work stress related, its no wonder so many women are being affected
by post natal depression.
Did you know the stress of initiating breastfeeding raises a
woman’s cortisol levels, in turn decreasing her milk supply? It’s a vicious
cycle a new mother attempting nursing for the first time can be seriously
affected by.
However, studies have shown that once women got breastfeeding
going successfully, they had lower cortisol levels and lower levels of
depression. Supporting a woman in those crucial early weeks post birth is
important yet it seems this is where our health system fails us.
Around 65% of new mothers experience the baby blues in the first
two weeks postpartum. Without any reason, they are all of a sudden in tears.
They may feel sad, restless, exhausted, and worry about the lack of happy
feelings that are supposed to experience with the birth of her baby. In most
cases, these baby blues are limited to about two weeks and are a completely
normal occurrence partly due to a rush of hormones. But for some woman, giving
birth triggers something more serious than a simple case of Baby Blues.
Postpartum Depression, also called PPD, can affect a new mother's ability to
look after her baby. This requires immediate medical attention.
In some cases a mother develops a postpartum psychosis. The
symptoms and feelings are much stronger than with a postpartum depression and a
mother may harm herself or her baby. Medical treatment and admission to
hospital may also be needed.
In some cases, breastfeeding contributed to depression by
increasing women's sense of being trapped by the dependency of their babies at
the expense of their own well-being, and intensifying their feelings of
responsibility for keeping their babies alive.
The time spent nourishing and bonding with your baby can be one of the most rewarding experiences a new mother can have. However breastfeeding doesn’t always go according to plan.
Breastfeeding is a skill that must be learned over time by both mother and baby as a team, and it can take patience and perseverance and some women need extra support.
So what’s the answer?
- Preparation for breastfeeding prior to giving birth so you know what to expect.
- Asking for help in hospital and when you get home from nursing friends, family, and lactation consultants.
- Don’t feel guilty if you give your baby a bottle and don’t let others put pressure on you if that’s what you want to do
- If you are feeling depressed or unwell seek help immediately and try and tell a family member of friend.
This article was written for Haute Mama Online by Melissa MacDonald, author of the best selling book: Breastfeeding; Real Moms Tell You How.