Worse even then the use of antidepressents and not allowing breastfeeding is
the prevading notion that breastfeeding causes post partum depression. This
has been told to the medical students in my school by the psychologist who
lectures them (I give them a lecture on breastfeeding and contradict this!!)
I tried to do a literature search and the information is quite scanty.
Certainly not what I would go out and tell mothers who have had depression
not to nurse. For many cases of postpartum anxiety/depression what is really
needed is sleep for the mother and household help to allow here to get this.
When medication is needed, the AAp considers Elavil compatible with
breastfeeding. Telling a mother that wishes to breastfeed that she cannot
will often make the depression worse. The natural postpartum hormonal state
is lactation, thus in my opinion weaning is more likely to cause depression
than nursing.
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*  Deena Zimmerman MD MPH                          *
*  Department of Pediatrics                        *
*  UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School        *
*  1 RWJ Place                                     *
*  New Brunswick, NJ 08903                         *
*                                                  *
*      phone (908) 235-7248                        *
*      fax   (908) 235-7345                        *
*      email  [log in to unmask] (internet)        *
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