The Seventh Mom Project, Inc.
  • Home
    • Calendar
  • Support
    • SISTER Mom
    • Local Resource Guide
  • Educate
    • Community Awareness Events
    • For Professionals
  • Connect
  • Blog

Breastfeeding with anxiety.

8/30/2015

0 Comments

 
When I had my son I felt instant relief whenever I breastfed him.  If I was upset or felt anxious, I would nurse and that biochemical release of oxytocin was my cure all.  I cherished those nights of nursing him to sleep and looked forward to doing so again with his baby sister.  However, with baby girl, we suffered colic and breastfeeding her was definitely NOT our cure all.  It was a struggle.  She would latch and cry and scream and toot and start over.  It was hours every night so when I finally got her latched and nursing and sleeping I would cry silently, hoping for this to quickly pass.  I wanted desperately for her to grow past this.

She wouldn't take a bottle when I went to work.  My husband suggested we go to bottle feeding round the clock, it would seem to fix all my nursing struggles and her refusal to take a bottle from him.  I cried. Even though it was such a struggle, I couldn't have the only thing that still made me feel connected to her taken away.

I was afraid to take medication because I was under the impression that only Zoloft was approved for breastfeeding.  I had tried Zoloft before.  I didn't do well with it.  I didn't want to have to do a medication that was going to end my nursing relationship before I was ready.  So I just avoided the medication talk for a few extra months. I kept telling myself if I could just breathe through it, I would be fine and it would all just be FINE.

Life eventually became too hectic and my days involved too many tears.  My husband agreed, try the meds.  I  researched some more medications and their breastfeeding risks in a copy of Dr. Hale's Mothers and Medications Book and found out that there were several kinds I could try without having to end our nursing relationship.  I made a copy of the pages to take to my doctor.  I didn't want her to say I can give you something but only if you stop breastfeeding. 

About 5 days into the medication, I looked at my baby and that impossible, full love beyond belief feeling washed over me.  I started medication 6 months after my baby was born and with the medication helping to control my anxiety, I could truly begin enjoying my baby girl. 


*note the author does not discount formula as a mother's choice and also does not believe medication is always the answer.  However, if you are living with postpartum distress and breastfeeding, you can still utilize pharmacological medications in your treatment plan.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Each walk is different, but we walk together, and that makes all the
    difference.

    Stories are shared by moms willingly to help others know
    YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

    Archives

    January 2020
    June 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All
    Anxiety
    Awareness
    Birth And Baby Event
    Black Dispartiy
    Board Opening
    Body Image
    Body Love
    Breastfeeding
    Call To Action
    Cesarean Awareness
    Children
    Christian Mothers
    Complementary Treatments
    Dads
    Depression
    Doula
    Eat
    Exercise
    Expectations
    Faith
    Fathers
    Father's Day
    Fears
    Fed Is Best
    Flamingo Flocking
    Fog
    Fun
    Fundraiser
    Gender
    Girls Rock
    Give Day
    Guilt
    Heros
    Hold The Umbrella
    Hurricane
    Identity
    Identity Crisis
    Infant Mortality
    International Father's Mental Health Day
    Jesus
    Legislative Jargon
    Long Term Risks
    Maternal Mental Health
    Medicine
    Mental Health
    Mentorship
    Mom Hacks
    Moms Rock
    Motherhood
    Motherhood Fantasy
    National Breastfeeding Month
    Natural Antidepressants
    Natural Birth
    Natural Remedies
    New Baby
    Perinatal Anxiety
    Placentas
    Planning
    Pole
    Pole Dancing
    Post Baby Body
    Postpartum Depression
    Postpartum Distress
    Practical Help
    Preparedness
    Preparing For Baby
    Public Event
    Raincoat Run
    SB 138
    Self
    Showers Of Support
    Sisterhood
    Sistermom
    Sleep
    Stand By You
    Standing With Women
    Stigma
    Storms Of Motherhood
    Suicide
    Summer
    Summer Fun
    Support
    Survival
    Survivor
    Therapist
    Travel
    Umbrella Holders
    Volunteer
    Weathering Storms
    Weight
    Wellness
    Woman Acheivement
    Women's Health
    World Breastfeeding Week
    World Doula Week

    RSS Feed

You can reach us at:

mailing address: 9015 Aspen Hollow Place, Riverview, FL 33578
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. You can contact  1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) to obtain these records. 
  • Home
    • Calendar
  • Support
    • SISTER Mom
    • Local Resource Guide
  • Educate
    • Community Awareness Events
    • For Professionals
  • Connect
  • Blog