Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex

[MO4]

I was sent this link today... ever heard of it?


I haven't, but it sure got me thinking.... and I wondered about breastfeeding aversion while pregnant / tandem feeding.

[greendraggon]

Very interesting.

There is strong reason to believe that a brief drop in dopamine below some normal threshold is involved as the cause of D-MER

I wonder if the dopamine level actually drops for everyone but is already low in some mothers (for whatever reason diet, trauma etc) and therefore drops too far?
I know what they described certainly sounds like what I experienced for the first 6-8 weeks for DD's life.

[MO4]

Since I'm onto it.... I had a quick look at the ABA forum and there's a thread there titled "Breastfeeding aversion / D-mer" How weird is that?!?!?!?! No info there though, just a request for an old Essence article about BF Aversion.

Sort of strengthened my internal wonderings about the connection though.

[The Morrigan]

I had serious breastfeeding aversion when I was pregnant with Isobel but it wasn't like the descriptions the women are giving on the site. I think it just goes to show how little we really know about breastfeeding despite how carelessly we tamper with it.

[coriander]

Hi MO3. Lovely to see you posting again. A very interesting topic.

No I've never heard of D-mer. - I've had a brief skim of the link. My impression was they were talking about D-mer for women who had just had babies and that it tends to decrease as the baby becomes older? Whereas breastfeeding aversion when feeding toddlers seems to start when they are older. Editing my post to ad that I was impressed by the alternative treatment options listed at the website. I wonder if there are particular bach flower remedies for breastfeedng aversion?

and I wondered about breastfeeding aversion while pregnant / tandem feeding.

With tandem feeding and breastfeeding aversion, I can be feeding a toddler and a pre-schooler, and feel annoyed about feeding the pre-schooler, but not the toddler and the let-downs are occurring at the same time. To me breastfeeding aversion of an older child doesn't seem to be anything to do with D-mer because if dopamine levels were falling, why would you be feeling one thing on one side of the body, and different on the other side of the body.

I agree with TM, there is so much we don't yet know.

[beloved]

That's interesting. I wonder if that could be what I have...
I don't associate it with let down, just with bf in general, but they say that's possible.

It was much, much worse the first time around with C, probably exacerbated by all the trauma, but the negative association with bf continued until he weaned.
I don't get hett up this time around, but I still find bf a negative experience. I don't like it at all, although I like the fact that R enjoys it and I love having him close/in my arms, etc. I just feel negatively about bf. It doesn't really cause problems this time as such, I'm able to get on with it no worries. I just don't like it.

Hmmm... very interesting! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!

[Harmony]

those pictures at the top of the site resonate with me, and the information...more reading

[MO4]

Sooooooooooo....... if you feel like this when breastfeeding and you believe that ciac is 'just as good' - then of course you're going to say that you didn't enjoy BFing and STOP!! (Making mental note to be more supportive of vague excuses.)

Hmmmmmm.....

[TOR]

Just with regards to tandem feeding, the Natural Nurturing Network (UK)
had a tandem feeding theme to a newsletter once, years ago.

This is completely un-controlled as far as a proper study goes, but it certainly appeared that, the further the two siblings were apart in age, the more likely/bigger the aversion issue was.

IE, the closer the siblings were in age, the less aversion mothers experienced to breastfeeding whilst pregnant then subsequently tandem feeding.

[MO4]

Hmmmm... interesting TABSP. I experienced it when I was pg with DD2 - that was a 3 year gap. I suppose that would seem logical... if any of it can be seen as logical.

But i did have to stop and listen to my body and what it was telling me. Once we stopped BFing, everything was rosier. (My poor DD1!!!!)