Has anyone heard of both the nursing mother and her baby feeling irritable
and out of sorts just prior to the onset of the mother's menstrual periods?
 Are there some remedies the mother could try?  The "Breastfeeding Answer
Book" says, "Some mothers report feeling restless or 'antsy' while nursing
during the time around their menstrual periods.  These feelings usually
subside within a day or two." (p. 337, 1997 ed.)  I haven't found anything
on the baby being irritable as well.  It sounds as though it's more than
the baby merely reacting to the mother's mood.  Actually, this case
involves 14 month old twins, and both are regularly fussy around the onset
of the mother's menses each month.  The mom is cranky, too.

Would appreciate any similar experiences and helpful interventions to share
with this mother.

Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL leader in Madison, Wisconsin
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