Holly asks:  "I have been asked to speak at a physicians' seminar in
October....all speakers are talking about postpartum depression.... My
discussion title is breastfeeding and =
postpartum depression. Audience will be physicians, psychologists, social =
workers, etc. What important things should I include. I have 40 minutes."

Holly -- I would highly recommend including the reminder which comes at the
end of this paper:

Amir, LH, Dennerstein, L, Galrand, SM and Farish, SJ, Psychological aspects
of nipple pain in lactating women, 1996, J Psychosom. Obstet. Gynecol 17
53 -58

They conclude:  "when a clinician sees a crying, irritable, tired woman it
should not be assumed that the woman has postnatal depression:  if she is
suffering nipple pain, this may be the explanation.....in most cases
resolution of their pain will improve their emotional well-being."

Just a reminder that it is relatively easy to use a diagnosis of  pnd
instead of addressing issues to do with the breastfeeding experience which
may be the cause of women's distress.  I am not denigrating the difficulties
women can have in getting decent treatment for pnd.  However, sometimes
addressing certain issues could head future depression off at the pass.
Some women might have nipple pain, if this isn't addressed, they go on to
long-term feeding in pain or stopping breastfeeding before they want to --
two things which could trigger depression.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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