Breastfeeding: A Postpartum Chill Pill

Some think that breastfeeding adds to postpartum stress.  But research has found that mothers who do not breastfeed are more stressed than those who do.  Two obvious reasons are the calming effects of skin-to-skin contact during breastfeeding and the release of the stress-relieving hormone oxytocin.  Swedish research has found that higher oxytocin blood levels decrease blood pressure and levels of cortisol, a stress hormone (Jonas et al., 2008).  In one U.S. study of 24 women who both breastfed and bottle-fed, researchers measured the study mothers’ mood before and after breastfeeding and before and after bottle-feeding (Mezzacappa, Guethlein, & Katkin, 2002).  They found that the mothers were calmer after breastfeeding than after bottle-feeding.  This study is noteworthy because it eliminated one of the main problems of comparing breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women: the often major differences between women who choose one feeding method over the other.  Since the same mothers were studied after both breast and bottle, this possible confounding factor was eliminated. Breastfeeding’s effect on down-regulating stress is no doubt one reason research has linked longer breastfeeding duration to better cardiovascular health in mothers later in life (Schwarz et al., 2009).

But that is not all.  Another U.S. study of 181 mothers measured mothers’ reactions to stress, including its effect on the immune system (measured by blood cytokine balance) and their mood (Groer & Davis, 2006).  The researchers found that the immune systems of non-breastfeeding mothers were more depressed by life stressors, and these mothers developed more infections than the breastfeeding mothers.  The non-breastfeeding mothers also had higher levels of anxiety and fatigue.  The study authors suggest that higher levels of blood prolactin stimulated by breastfeeding was related to more positive mood, greater immunity to infection, and decreased stress.

References

Groer, M. W., & Davis, M. W. (2006). Cytokines, infections, stress, and dysphoric moods in breastfeeders and formula feeders. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 35(5), 599-607.

Jonas, W., Nissen, E., Ransjo-Arvidson, A. B., Wiklund, I., Henriksson, P., & Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2008). Short- and long-term decrease of blood pressure in women during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding Medicine, 3(2), 103-109.

Mezzacappa, E. S., Guethlein, W., & Katkin, E. S. (2002). Breast-feeding and maternal health in online mothers. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24(4), 299-309.

Schwarz, E. B., Ray, R. M., Stuebe, A. M., Allison, M. A., Ness, R. B., Freiberg, M. S., et al. (2009). Duration of lactation and risk factors for maternal cardiovascular disease. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 113(5), 974-982.

Comments

[Jessie]

I gave birth to my daughter almost 15 months ago. After no dilation or signs of labor coming on 1 week after my due date, my labor was induced. 12 hours after I was in active labor my baby was born (2 hours of pushing resulted in use of the vacuum, an episiotomy and a 4th degree laceration). I put her on the breast as soon as I was able to (about 1 hour after birth due to extensive stitching). After release from the hospital, my daughter continued to lose weight and we were told to supplement. I didn't want to supplement because I wanted to exclusively breast feed and had heard that supplementing only makes exclusive breastfeeding more of a challenge. I was in a lot of pain from bleeding nipples and cringed each time I pulled my baby to the breast. Weeks went by and I never felt my milk come in. After a meeting with a lactation consultant at Palos Hospital in Palos Heights IL, I was told there was nothing wrong with my anatomy, hers, or her latch/suck and was asked if I had a thyroid or pituitary problem. After later testing, I found out I didn't have either. My husband is insistent that it was the stress of the difficult delivery and painful recovery and nipple pain that caused me to have such severe low supply. (I was only ever able to pump 2oz after taking reglan and more milk special blend by Motherlove at about 2 months postpartum) I am wondering if postpartum stress/difficult labors really does affect milk supply to that extent. I am hoping to get pregnant again soon and really don't want to go through the excruciating heartache of not being able to exclusively breastfeed my next child. What are your thoughts on stress and low milk supply? Have you ever heard of using hypnosis to relieve stress after birth and cause milk to come in quicker? Thank you!!

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