Is it normal to feel stressed during breastfeeding? (Query)

World Breastfeeding Week 2017 - Read to know the psychological effects seen in breastfeeding women.

I am a 30-year-old woman. My cousin has recently delivered a baby. I was reading online and found that there are few health effects of breastfeeding on a woman. I have seen that my cousin is exhausted and suffers mood swings. I want to know how psychological well-being is affected during breastfeeding. Is there a way to tackle it? If yes, please provide some tips. Thanks.

The query is answered by Ms Kanchan Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus.

Mothers who breastfeed can be at the risk of some serious health issues. It is mainly because the mothers tend to prioritize everything and anything concerning their babies at the cost of ignoring their own health. A woman can be at the risk of both physical as well as mental health issues during the breastfeeding stage. The mental/psychological effects seen in breast feeding women is mainly because of the post-delivery depression syndrome causes. It could be due to -

1. Maternal stress and lack of time for own self (mother), sleep deprivation, and unhealthy lifestyle.

2. When they are not able to breastfeed due to low breast milk production, baby not able to suck or when a woman is on medications and not allowed to breast feed.

3. Often women refuse to get treated for this postpartum depression or anxiety.

4. Some mothers might not be aware that they are suffering from this condition.

These are only a few problems seen in nursing mothers. Here are few ways to tackle these issues:

1. Take good care of yourself by taking your meals on time and eating healthy. Include foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal and barley in the diet, which makes you feel full and prevent from bingeing. Read: Real moms share breastfeeding tips to make life easier.

2. Stay active all day long as it helps acts as an effective stress buster and aid in improving your overall mood. It could include taking a stroll or performing few yoga asanas at home to rejuvenate your day.

3. Do regular self-examination of the breasts. If you experience any health issues, make sure it should be immediately discussed with your family physician. Remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

4. Take proper rest. The last but the most important thing is to take adequate rest. In the first few weeks, let someone else take care of all the responsibilities other than feeding your baby to give your body a much-needed break.

So please don t stress, stay happy and healthy to enjoy this life-changing and beautiful transformation! Also, read about why new mothers don t consult lactation experts to address breastfeeding challenges.