Managing your mental health needs while breastfeeding can feel like an Olympic sport at times. You are actively working on keeping your mental health symptoms in check, but you feel like a pressure cooker when you start thinking about breastfeeding and how to make it work.

Perhaps you find yourself in one of these scenarios:

Are you an expectant mother who is thinking about breastfeeding but are overwhelmed with all the information coming at you left and right?

Are you grappling with feeling pressured to make a decision but are unsure if it’s the right decision for you?

Have you recently welcomed a newborn into your family and are struggling with the nuts, bolts, and roller coaster ride of breastfeeding?

Maybe you are a working mom who is trying to find the right rhythm of pumping, working, breastfeeding, and everything else in between, or you are grappling with a work environment where your breastfeeding efforts garner side eyes or unsupportive roadblocks.

Did you try to breastfeed your baby in the past and had difficulty reaching your goals and would like to try again with the newest little one on the way with support available?

Maybe breastfeeding is going well, but there are significant stressors in your life that are leaving you feeling empty, joyless, fatigued, or constantly preoccupied with other things rather than enjoying this time with your baby.

Have you received care from a provider for mental health needs or utilized medications to support your wellness and are worried how breastfeeding may impact your emotional recovery?

Maybe you have overcome significant trauma or deep emotional pain related to your body boundaries and wonder how to manage breastfeeding if it triggers old wounds.

Or, perhaps you are at a place in your life where you want or need to wean your baby but are struggling with guilt or uncertainty about where to start or how to do it.

Maybe you have already weaned but are overcome with guilt, sadness, or grief in ways you did not see coming, or the weaning process has triggered a cascade of feelings and emotions you are struggling to manage.

You are not alone

Breastfeeding can bring about a host of feelings and experiences such as excitement, worry, exhaustion, triumph, and a lot more. Many mothers may find breastfeeding comes easy to them, while others may struggle. Challenges in the early months of breastfeeding may also negatively impact maternal mental health.

In fact, a 2021 article in the journal Midwifery, noted that mental health challenges in the months following birth may lead to lower levels of confidence and may result in early termination of breastfeeding. They found engagement with a Lactation Consultant may provide the support needed to address challenges with breastfeeding and increase confidence and feelings of success.

Additionally, breastfeeding education has also been shown to enhance feelings of competence with breastfeeding, which may have a positive effect on postpartum mental health.

Grappling with anxiety or depression in the prenatal period was noted in the Journal of Human Lactation and the BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth Journal to also impact later breastfeeding duration and confidence. Weaning, or ending the breastfeeding relationship with your baby, whether planned or unplanned, may also increase symptoms of anxiety and depression.

What does this all mean and how can I help?

If you are tackling mental health needs and also facing breastfeeding challenges, talking to an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) has been shown to positively impact maternal confidence and perceived competence with breastfeeding, along with improvements in mental health during the newborn period.

As an IBCLC, I can assist you with not only navigating the ups, downs, and numerous decisions related to breastfeeding, but as a licensed therapist, I can also tend to any underlying mental health struggles that are also present during the newborn period.

Many women are grappling with numerous challenges that may get in the way of breastfeeding and prefer the option of confidentially talking to a trained professional who can help them address those experiences.

To help you on your breastfeeding mental health journey, I am happy to assist you with:

• Prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding education, support, and strategies to reduce anxiety and worries

• Enhanced breastfeeding confidence and competence by addressing barriers to success

• Managing breastfeeding naysayers and confidence shakers that may impact your emotional wellness

• Getting clarity on what a breastfeeding relationship with your baby may look like for you based on your wants, needs, and unique circumstances

• Addressing mental health needs during breastfeeding to support improved symptoms and healthy attachment and bonding with baby

Let’s work together

As a Psychotherapist and Lactation Consultant, I am here to walk with you during this transition in your life to support your mental health needs related to breastfeeding. Having worked with countless breastfeeding women in home, pediatric office, and hospital settings, I am here to help you with challenges, worries, fears, questions, and logistics related to breastfeeding in support of optimal mental wellness.

I look forward to supporting you in addressing issues such as returning to work, sleep, intimacy, room sharing, breastfeeding an infant and toddler, breastfeeding after a C-section, breastfeeding in public or on-the-go, pumping, workplace needs, weaning, slow weight gain, breastfeeding babies with health challenges, or other needs that are coming up for you.

The help you need is just a virtual visit away!

North Carolina and Virginia moms are welcome to contact me to set up your virtual appointment today.