I am breast feeding and i am wondering if being stressed or depressed can affect my milk.

Question

and then in terms affect my baby. are there toxins or something. please help.

Answer 1

Being depressed and stressed does affect milk supply, it reduces it.

In terms of harming your baby, it will just make your baby fussy and irritable because as you are his/her mother we are connected in that sense and our children feel what we feel in a sense.

Answer 2

stress can affect your milk production and if you take medication for either can affect your production and or your baby as well. talk to your dr or peditrition if you're concerned.

Answer 3

being stressed and depressed definitely affects milk, and even if you weren't brestfeeding, it still affects the baby. Your baby senses your emotions whatever they may be. So take the time for yourself to destress. and find quick "happy pills" (whether it's a sweet that you enjoy eating (chocolate always seems to work, and the babies love it. -- this is a proven fact, in our mommy and me weekly classes -- always seems to work) or a humor book, then happily breastfeed away.

congrats on the baby, and don't sweat it too much!!

Answer 4

Stress can affect your milk production, but it there shouldn't be any "toxins" or anything getting through to the baby.  Certain medications affect the breast milk and can get through to the baby.  

Answer 5

It wont affect the milk (milk content) but it may affect the flow of milk, in other words the baby might struggle to suck the milk so it is going to be harder for the baby to feed if you are stressed; but nothing really happens if you are depressed.

Answer 6

stress won't cause toxins unless ur on medications for it but it may slow ur milk flow down

Answer 7

stress and depression can definetly affect the production of your milk but not the milk itself. however i have heard from several sources (doctors, books, magazines...) that babies sense the depression and can make them feel the same or some how expierence it, whether its now or later on in life. so my suggestion is definetly seek help no matter how soon after the baby has been born b/c a happy mom w/ taking medicine (your doctor will let you know which is the best...)  is better than a deppressed mom that cant care for her baby in the same matter.

Answer 8

living testimony to this, it stress, anxiety and depression defenately play a huge part in low milk supply, ive been struggling with it for 8 months.  try to get out and leave the baby with someone for awhile.  take deep breaths, and hot baths!  i feel your pain.