Aunty Lactivist is all of us so please help with any ideas or words of wisdom you might have.
Dear Aunty Lactivist I need advice. My booby baby is 27 months. He is my 3rd and my other 2 are 5 and 4 years. All boys.I suffered with PND and when the baby was 12 weeks old my husband left for another woman. It was totally unexpected and I had a breakdown. I’ve had lots of counselling and have been on antidepressants ever since.
After going to see my GP today because I’ve been feeling like I’m going backwards she has suggested an antidepressant that I can’t take while breastfeeding.
I said I wasn’t sure so she has upped my current one (sertraline) to see if that helps and while i decide what to do.
Hope you’re still with me!
So, what’s best? My health or his health?
And if I decide to stop, how do I start?
HELP!!
well, your health really, esp because you need to be ok to look after him properly. he needs a happy mum more than he needs breastmilk at 27 months. other options are:
1)do your research. there are lots of meds that are fine with breastfeeding. here’s a link to kellymom: http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/antidepressants-hale10-02.html. talk again to your gp.
2)express to maintain supply and discard the milk so you can resume feeding when you’re off the meds.
3) murder your ex. (not strictly part of the question I know, but what an arse. 12 weeks! my god.)
It’s ok to put your mental health first, and looking after yourself is the best thing you can do for all your boys. the baby’s had 27months of breastmilk which is an absolutely amazing thing. be proud of yourself, whatever happens from now on.
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What an awful experience for you! So sorry to hear that, and I do hope you find something that helps.
I know it’s often claimed that breast milk continues to benefit children for however long they keep having it, but, in fact, there isn’t actually any evidence at all that this is true. See http://goodenoughmummy.typepad.com/good_enough_mum/2011/04/extended-breastfeeding.html for a more detailed discussion of the many myths in this area. So, no, I see no evidence that it would be detrimental in any way to your son’s health to wean him at this point. But it wouldn’t be good for him to have a depressed mother.
So, if you really feel that this antidepressant is likely to help, go for it. Of course, you may decide that *you* wish to keep breastfeeding and that it’s more helpful for you to do so than it would be to try a different tablet, and you may end up being happier exploring non-medical alternatives such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, which has a good success rate in depression. But this should be a choice you make on the basis of what feels right to you, because there really isn’t anything to support the belief that it’ll be harmful to your son’s health to wean him. Hope that helps.
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There are definitely benefits to extended breastfeeding for both mum and baby – something that clearly matters ] to you as you have gone on this long, but I think it’s important to remember that at this age they are as much (or more) emotional as nutritional/physical. Your mental wellbeing is vital to your children and I think you need to put yourself first so you can support your kids. You’re doing amazingly in a horrible situation.
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