I was reading an article that was saying that postpartum depression can be lessened with breastfeeding and it had me thinking.

I had the baby blues after the birth of both of my children. Both times it was mild and both times I was breastfeeding. I remember when if was holding the baby and feeling slightly depressed I would feel better after the feeding was finished. I just thought it was because I was getting some quiet time with the baby and face it....they were both soooo cute....lol

The article was saying that with the mother's hormones still in a state of flux that the act of feeding helps put the chemicals in her body back on track. So, not only is breast feeding good for the baby, but it's good for mom to. I guess it wasn't just quiet time and my cute baby that was making me feel happier!

DCMerkle

When you nurse you produce the hormone prolactin. My midwife called prolactin the happy hormone, and said that nursing made mommies happy and babies "milk drunk"!

That's a nice thing to know. What are the main reasons why mothers who had just their child born become depressed? They should be happy instead of being depressed because they have a new baby, right?

I agree with that. And don't you know that postpartum depression can be really fatal? Others get crazy and all, in some extreme cases. I also concede with the fact that breastfeeding can actually lessen that. Whenever we breastfeed we secrete some hormones that can actually help regulate depressive moods. Dopamine secretion in the brain can be stalled with breastfeeding. It's important an expectant mom and hubby knows the rigor of pregnancy and thereafter.

Not only prolactin, but oxytocin is released-this is the hormone that makes the milk ducts contract, and so pushes the milk out during let down as well as making the uterus contract (and hence get smaller).

Oxytocin is known as the love and the cuddle chemical. It gives you that dreamy, sigh, love your child feeling. Breast feeding really is wonderful!