Comments on Fighting off Frumpy: When Breastfeeding Feels Wrong

THANK YOU! I thought I was just a broken person. ...

2011-07-13T08:07:26.061-07:00

THANK YOU! I thought I was just a broken person. This answers so many questions and hopefully this will open the door to healing for me. I'm seriously on the verge of tears, I have such relief to know that it isn't just me. I have felt so alone for so long experiencing this.

I experienced this as well. I was so depressed dur...

2011-05-04T21:33:36.662-07:00

I experienced this as well. I was so depressed during breastfeeding, but in between feedings I felt fine! I thought I was going crazy. I was so surprised I hated it so much. I had great support and was able to breastfeed for 7 months despite the overwhelming depression during feedings. Glad to know I'm not alone! Thanks for the post.

I'm a first time mom and I feel I'm not al...

2010-04-20T00:26:56.637-07:00

I'm a first time mom and I feel I'm not alone. Breastfeeding is very difficult. In this post full of emotions and opinions. I love breastfeeding my daughter and never think of anything that could give me stress towards breastfeeding.

I am going through something like that right now a...

2010-02-23T18:51:44.356-08:00

I am going through something like that right now and I don't know what to do. My husband wants me to keep going, and I know it is the best choice for our daughter, but it just isn't enjoyable and I get so worked up as she starts to wake to nurse. She is only 10 days old and I love her to bits, but breast feeding puts a damper on things.

Wow, it seems a lot of moms (in your comments, any...

2009-10-28T19:50:43.707-07:00

Wow, it seems a lot of moms (in your comments, anyway) have experienced this. I was going to say that I think I've heard other women complain of this, or simply that they did not enjoy breastfeeding. Then my memory got jogged back to the early weeks with my son, and I remembered the overwhelming feeling of dread, depression and guilt I got every time I pumped (we had major breasfeeding issues). And then I remembered having this feeling a few times while nursing him, too, and I most definitely always felt extreme exhaustion upon let-down in those early days. I thought those bad feelings were because of our breastfeeding difficulties--you know, psychological.

Happily, those bad feelings did go away. I don't know how long it took, maybe a few months? I was so excited whenever he latched and nursed properly that I probably ignored these feelings during nursing, but DEFINITELY felt them during pumping!! I'm happy to say that it got much better, I never feel that way now, and we are happily nursing at 16 months.

By the way, you are an awesome mama to push through this!

i felt this for the first 2 months or so that i wa...

2009-10-26T14:05:25.181-07:00

i felt this for the first 2 months or so that i was nursing. i always assumed it was ppd (which i struggled with with my first 3 children). thank you for posting this. although i'm no longer experiencing this, it's nice to know for future reference!

Thanks for the informative post on an issue I don&...

2009-10-26T12:43:33.055-07:00

Thanks for the informative post on an issue I don't think many moms know about. Is this covered in any of the breastfeeding books? I don't even know, never heard of it myself until quite recently.

I wonder how much of this has to do with our socie...

2009-10-26T10:28:02.899-07:00

I wonder how much of this has to do with our society's subtle (and not so subtle) messages about breastfeeding. I wonder if this is an issue for women in other countries. It's great that there is research being done on this and that you were brave enough to share!

This sounds close to along the same lines as Post-...

2009-10-26T10:06:04.805-07:00

This sounds close to along the same lines as Post-Partum Depression. I wonder how many moms are not being properly diagnosed?

Wow. I've never heard of this before but it s...

2009-10-26T08:21:44.878-07:00

Wow. I've never heard of this before but it sounds awful. You did so well to nurse at all with this to cope with as well.

This is so interesting. Glad you figured it out. ...

2009-10-21T19:39:28.922-07:00

This is so interesting. Glad you figured it out. Wow. Who knew?

So that's what was happening to me 20 years ag...

2009-10-18T18:05:35.052-07:00

So that's what was happening to me 20 years ago! I breastfed my baby for 1 1/2 years. I do have fond memories of that, but I also have memories of just a few seconds of a heavy quilt feeling. Yes, let-down never failed to follow that. I just always figured it was hormones doing silly things. This is interesting!

I had the same feelings, maybe even worse. I felt...

2009-10-16T13:43:23.006-07:00

I had the same feelings, maybe even worse. I felt like my stomach was coiling up like a snake. I never got a warm and fuzzy feeling while bfeeding. It was not enjoyable to me, and I felt guilty that I didn't like it. like something was wrong with me. It was like that split second before the Dr. sticks the needle in your arm for a shot. Only longer and more disconcerting. no fun.

Amazing discovery! Who would have thought that eve...

2009-10-14T19:54:21.906-07:00

Amazing discovery! Who would have thought that even after my kids are grown I was still feeling guilty about not enjoying breastfeeding?! Now I won't be so hard on myself!

Sorry, tried to comment yesterday but couldn't...

2009-10-14T14:01:32.903-07:00

Sorry, tried to comment yesterday but couldn't for some reason. Gosh what a revelation....never heard of that before. Although I have only recently stopped feeding number five I don't remember suffering from any of those feelings, just pain...a lot for up to the first three months. I hope it eases off for you. x

Great, honest post. I breastfed for 8 weeks until ...

2009-10-14T07:17:20.881-07:00

Great, honest post. I breastfed for 8 weeks until I got mastitis..the lactation consultant told me I HAD TO continue breast feeding even with 104 fever and cement boobs. ummmmm....no.

Wow...I never knew such a thing existed. I'm s...

2009-10-14T05:22:27.525-07:00

Wow...I never knew such a thing existed. I'm so sorry you've been having such a difficult time.
CONGRATULATIONS on making it to a month! Coby is one lucky little baby!

That's very interesting. I'm not a mom so ...

2009-10-13T22:22:55.733-07:00

That's very interesting. I'm not a mom so I have never experienced that before, but now I know if that does ever happen to me.

that is really interesting. I wonder if I experie...

2009-10-13T20:34:43.809-07:00

that is really interesting. I wonder if I experienced a bit of that myself, although I had such issues with supply that my breastfeeding days were numbered anyway. Congrats on finding out what it was. By the way, I picked you as one of my recipients for the Honest Scrap award. check out my blog for info.

Oh my God! I felt like this too with my oldest son...

2009-10-13T18:03:01.304-07:00

Oh my God! I felt like this too with my oldest son. Breast feeding did not go well for us. I just felt like I couldn't do it. I pumped breast milk for him but fed him a bottle. I just couldn't put him to my breast. Thank you for sharing this.
So is there a treatment? What is next for you? Does it go away with you keep up with it?

Lovely post mama! You summed it up really well! Ho...

2009-10-13T17:38:32.607-07:00

Lovely post mama! You summed it up really well! Hope you have a self correcting case, hang in there! (hugs)

I breastfed for all of 10 days with Jakob and that...

2009-10-13T16:38:31.012-07:00

I breastfed for all of 10 days with Jakob and that was it. I hated every minute of it!

WoW! I'm so glad you posted this. I had trou...

2009-10-13T15:00:55.961-07:00

WoW! I'm so glad you posted this. I had trouble breastfeeding both my kids. Maybe two weeks with the first and then I ended up pumping for 3 months with the second. I noticed after a while when pumping that I got that overwhelming blah, yucky feeling whenever I started pumping. Now, there's a name for it and doesn't mean I'm a psycho! That's great to know in case baby #3 becomes a reality :)
Congrats with the breastfeeding too! A month is a long time for those of us who aren't in love with it!

I didn't have that when breastfeeding, but I h...

2009-10-13T14:29:22.858-07:00

I didn't have that when breastfeeding, but I had it immediately after giving birth. I didn't have the gush of emotion that I expected to have and heard other felt when seeing their baby for the first time. I felt completely terrible, but chalked it up to hormones as "post partum" if that's even possible that quickly after giving birth.

nope, i never experienced this. (i only nursed for...

2009-10-13T14:29:17.398-07:00

nope, i never experienced this. (i only nursed for a week. i had to stop because i was beyond sore. i cried every time.)so glad you found your answer! hope you find some peeps that you can chat with to compare notes