Milk Ejection Reflex and Negative Emotions. What is going on?

You sit down to nurse. You're tired and looking forward to relaxing with your squishy new baby snuggled comfortably against your chest. You can't wait to hear those reassuring sounds as he sucks, swallows, and breathes.

You're ready.

Ready to soak up the warm touch of your baby's smooth skin, to stroke his back gently with one hand while supporting him with the other. You're ready to feel his tummy move in and out against yours as you enjoy the surge of oxytcin that will pulse through your veins telling your breasts it's time to nurture your baby.

You have your water, your snack, and a good book. Baby latches on, you lean back, you relax, and take a deep breath as you comfortably melt into your couch, but as you exhale you feel like something is not right; maybe you feel homesick, or even helpless. You don't know why or where this is coming from. These negative feelings, that can range from severe to mild, envelope you tightly as you struggle to understand how they could take up residence deep in the pit of your stomach while doing something you enjoy so much.

Breastfeeding.

Baby begins gulping and you know your milk has let-down. A minute passes and everything feels right again. In fact you may even forget about these feelings but next time you sit down to nurse or even if your milk let-down occurs without a nursling at the breast you are reminded, yet again, of these passing emotions that you struggle to understand.

If this sounds familiar to you than you might have Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex or D-MER.

*****

As a new mother with my first baby, a boy, the description above is my experience. After several months the symptoms improved greatly and pretty much disappeared as we nursed into toddler-hood. By the time I was pregnant with my second baby I had forgotten completely about these poorly understood emotions. Then she was born and the uncomfortable feelings were knocking at my breastfeeding door again.

Despite laying in my own bed or sitting on my own couch, every time I placed my brand new baby girl to the breast I felt homesick. It would fill me up with a mild sense of doom I just couldn't shake. The feelings were brief so I accepted them and moved on. I began to expect these feelings just as much as I expected to see my baby start gulping. I knew they would visit just before I felt the familiar sensation of a milk release (note: not all women feel a milk ejection reflex) and expected them to leave within a minute or less. These unexplained, poorly understood feelings were consistent and predictable. In fact, they were so predictable, even when baby wasn't at the breast, I could tell if I was going to have a let-down because I would suddenly feel that all too frequent "ickiness" that started in the pit of my stomach and consumed my body like a virus.

Just as they slowly left me with my first baby they faded with my second. It wasn't until one of the breastfeeding facebook pages I "like" posted an article about D-MER did I know that what I was experiencing had a name, or even that it existed beyond my own experience. It was my "aha moment!" A physiological reaction to a drop in dopamine!

*****

So what is Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex?

According to Kellymom.com "'Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex is a condition affecting lactating women that is characterized by an abrupt dysphoria, or negative emotions, that occur just before milk release and continuing not more than a few minutes.' This is a physiological response (not a psychological response) that appears to be tied to a sudden decrease in the brain chemical dopamine immediately before milk let-down."

For more information read this article by Alia Macrina Heise, from Breastfeeding Today, Issue 4 (November 2010), pp. 18-20.
D-MER (Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex): What is it?

~ Meghan  

Saying Goodbye

Le Leche League of Sandy is sad to announce that Renee and Rocio are officially retired as La Leche League Leaders. Everything they have done for La Leche League is and will always be appreciated. I am sad to see them go, a bit nervous to carry on, but excited for the future of La Leche League of Sandy. Change, although scary, is necessary. I know our community of breastfeeding moms will continue to support me, and I will continue to support you as we experience this change together!!

In light of LLL of Sandy losing two wonderful Leaders to retirement, enrichment meetings are not currently being held as I find my footing during this change. 

Enrichment Meeting

Today at 10am join us to talk about nursing beyond the first year!

Milk Donation

Curious about milk donation?  Check out the Salt Lake Mothers' Milk Donation Center.  Like them on Facebook. There is currently a breast milk shortage which you can read about in this article.  If you have any further questions contact the donation center at milkdonation@utha.edu.

Foods I Should Avoid?

One of the LLLI philosophy concepts states, "Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible." Thus, in general, no food is excluded from the list of foods a breastfeeding mother should eat. Obviously, it is best to make sure the foods you eat are fresh and healthy. The concept of variety is important, because by eating a number of foods, you can be sure to obtain different nutrients and do not eat too much of any one food.

Every culture has lists of foods that are "good" and "bad" for breastfeeding mothers. It happens very often that foods believed to be good in one culture are considered bad in others! In Italy, mothers are often told not to eat garlic, cauliflower, lentils and red peppers. In India most mothers eat all these things and breastfeed very happily. Actually, in parts of India they believe that garlic helps a mother to breastfeed successfully!

Generally, anything you are happy eating is okay for you to eat while you are breastfeeding. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. If you have a family medical history of allergy, it is worth being careful about your diet and avoiding known allergens during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you notice that your baby reacts badly after you have eaten something, it may be best to leave that food out of your diet for a while. There is an excellent article on our Web site called " Allergies and the Breastfeeding Family,"   which may help you if you are worried about allergies.

See also myths 12 and 21 in the article "Common Breastfeeding Myths"  for more information about what a breastfeeding mother needs to eat, and our resource page on Breastfeeding and Allergies.

To read this article and many more frequently asked questions breastfeeding visit http://www.llli.org/faq/.

Mini Café Fun

Thanks to all who came and enjoyed our Mini Café and participated in the Big Latch On!  We had a lovely group of ladies, three supportive Dads and many children all enjoying a beautiful day at the park!

Thank you all and we hope to see you at a meeting soon!

Mini Café & The Big Latch On

Mark your calendars!  

In conjunction with the 7th annual Breastfeeding Café, La Leche League of Sandy is putting on our own Mini Café and will be hosting The Big Latch On.  

LLL of Sandy Mini Café 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

9am to 1pm

Lone Peak Park 

10140 South 700 East in Sandy

We will have a silent auction for a SleepyWrap, Portrait Session from Landslide Photography & more.  

Giveaways will include a copy of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and more!

The Big Latch On

Let's break the record for the most women breastfeeding simultaneously!

Registration for The Big Latch On is at 10am

The Official ONE minute event will be from 10:30-10:31am

Please arrive at 10am in order to register and settle before the event begins.


If you have any questions please contact 
Renee at reneeyeoman@gmail.com or by text at 801-201-2165.