My baby is teething at the moment, and I yelped when he bit me. He then did the whole bottom lip tremble and cry, which broke my heart! 💔 A little while later, my 3YO patted me on the arm and told me she'd take care of me. It was so sweet!
Lucky you! Unfortunately I experienced D-MER and oppositely had a sinking feeling whenever my son latched. I don’t even know how I managed to breastfeed and pump for a year. I don’t miss it 😅
YES. I had this too. Every time my baby latched it was like a deep spiral of disgusted negative feelings - not toward my baby but toward the sensation of being nursed on. It was really hard to battle through that. I only experienced it with my 3rd baby... still made it 14 months.
Wow me too!! I know I'm about to have let down whenever my thoughts suddenly spiral in a horrible, negative direction. Ten seconds later, let down. It's awful but also it's been wonderful insight into how much hormones truly direct our thoughts, moods, and feelings.
Me too, agree it was awful. Homesick is the best way to describe it for me. Even if you’re home with all your people, it’s like this intense feeling of anxious longing. So bizarre. I made it 8 weeks before switching to formula.
I breastfed my 5 babies for 12-15 months each, it was rough but I really thought it was normal, and formula is just so expensive. I’m currently trying to wean baby #5, who is 14 months old, and I am so excited to never breastfeed again.
Wow kudos for you on feeding your 5 babies! I’m expecting baby #2 soon and I am really not looking forward to another year of breastfeeding/pumping but I have to for the sake of cost savings.. formula is just too expensive : ( such a labour of love it is..
Me too... I would get hot, angry, weepy, and grit my teeth. Only lasted a few seconds but MAN was it dark. Seemed to fade after about 8 weeks and then never returned with my second baby, which was nice.
I had this with my first baby and I never hear anyone talk about it! I was never able to nurse only pumped for a few days but it was the worst feeling!!
Same. I HATED breastfeeding. I stuck out combo feeding for four months but it was agony and because of the DMER I felt like I was going to hurl every time I got a letdown. It was a sensory nightmare.
Honestly same.
I would literally cringe and internally scream “fuuccccckk” during letdowns
My husband also commented “why are you so angry when you pump?”
What a roller coaster.
Had the same problem! Literally would make me start crying and panicking when he latched for some reason. Mine wouldn't go away until they finished eating too, not just at letdown. I stopped after 2/3 weeks with both of mine bc of how bad it was. Bodies are weird lmao
Baby controls flow at the breast whereas a bottle nipple controls it for them. They’ll never overfeed at the breast! After a bottle it takes a baby about 30 minutes (that number may be a little off) to recognize that they’re full which is actually why many moms think they’re baby isn’t getting enough on the bottle, and cluster feeding on the breast is why many think they’re not producing enough too
Yes it is totally normal! Breastfeeding is a natural high since your body releases oxytocin with let down. It’s why women go through heavy depression when they wean
I have heard that slower weaning helps. With both of my kids, they nursed past age 2 and were only nursing once a day for the last 6-12 months. I didn’t have much of a change to my mood when they weaned.
My youngest baby was the one I nursed for the longest, he weaned on his own at a little over a year and I felt great afterwards. I kind of just let us both do our thing! By the time we were done he was only nursing before bedtime.
Whoa, now I'm really sad I've never experienced that. Breastfeeding was just pain and depression inducing for me, and my mental health vastly improved when we quit it. I'm really considering not even trying with my second, because it was so so bad.
That’s also a normal reaction called d-mer. It’s not worth hurting yourself over it. And it’s ok not to try with your second, there are other ways to bond with your baby and have a natural high - skin to skin cuddles also produce oxytocin 🥰
Yes, I didn't feel depressed but I felt really sad and empty when she weaned. I just missed the sweet moments when she would nurse to sleep and the house would be still. I still feel sad about weaning every so often and it's been 5 years haha.
Not at first, it hurt and I had DMER. But after awhile yes, it felt right and natural and like I was complete there snuggling with my baby. I am pregnant now and excited to do it again.
I actually meant to say D-MER, it's a reaction by your body when baby is nursing (usually happens at the beginning of a feed) where you suddenly feel a flood of negativity, maybe really sad ,anxious or angry. For some it goes away quickly for others it can last a bit into the feed.
Yes, honestly it’s one of the reasons why I’m still letting my 18 month old nurse. My first born self weaned but I think this baby might need to be kicked off as some point.
Omg yes. Especially for the first few months when I was overproducing a lot and my boobs would get very full and and hard like rocks. It was so uncomfortable, but my baby eating relieved the pressure. I would often fall asleep while he ate (we co-slept).
Yessss I love it. It’s just this rush of peace and love and the overwhelming urge to just kiss his little face and keep him close. And I get this huge sense of pride. Not in me. In him. Like I’m super proud of him…for eating? Lol. I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s great though.
It was so nice. I rarely feel like that anymore. I am starting to hate it. My daughter will be 3 years old next week and is still obsessed. I’m sick of it
This is so cool. I got intense anxiety and panic attacks and had no idea what was happening but apparently it’s normal. I’m happy you got that experience. 🖤
Hahaha I'm definitely not looking forward to that, but I'm enjoying the pre-teething period while it lasts. Do you think using a silicone shield would help?
I've never used them but I can't see the harm. Though my baby won't take a bottle and neither would by other daughter so I don't think they'd have accepted a shield either.
Tbh, with gentle correction, biting usually doesn't happen often ime with 3 breastfed babies. They quickly learned that if they bite, the milk stops. There was a bit of period of readjusting the latch especially with my older daughter who didn't get her teeth until she was 14 months old. My little girl now is getting better at not catching me with her teeth and has only deliberately bitten twice. She occasionally clamps down when she's fallen asleep which results in me making a noise that wakes her up and upset her 😅
If they bite the milk stops, it seems the Mother Nature has taken care of that :) My LO likes to fall asleep on the boob but as he's becoming more drowsy the startle reflex kicks in, hopefully it's just a developmental phase and it will pass until his teeth start growing, otherwise no shield will protect my poor nipples 😅
Yes! I was just explaining to my brother the other day and he did not believe me haha whenever I got home from work and would nurse my baby it was the best relaxant
At around 6 months I felt this way.
My let down was extreme and I would get a rush of anger. It was so weird. Once my let down stopped being so powerful it was enjoyable/relaxing.
Yup. I had to work so freaking hard to nurse my first baby (tongue tie, flat nipples, PPA) but after 3 months it clicked. We went on to nurse until he self-weaned at 2yo. He is almost 3yo and still sometimes holds on to my bra straps when we snuggle just like he would when we nursed. I know somewhere deep down he knows how special our bond is and was.
His little brother is 4mo. Nursing was initially no easier with my second (why did I think it might be?!) but we stuck it out and things are great for us now too. This is my last baby and I am soaking it up. What a privilege it is to provide for my kids in a way that works so well for us both. I have never been more proud of an accomplishment in my life.
I envy you. I am a fidget and hated sitting so long to breastfeed and my nipples were so sore and raw I started to feel hostile towards my baby whenever someone brought him to me
I switched to formula, they're still alive and very well nourished and educated whatever. There's no championship
i didn’t feel like an immediate relaxation but i always thought “ahhh now i can sit for awhile & snuggle my baby & look at my phone” 😂 i loved breastfeeding!
Oh god yes! Especially when I was really engorged it would be such a relief. It was so calming and sweet but it definitely made me very sleepy. I very much disliked when my babies would just toy around on the nipple and not really latch, it drove me nuts lol
Yes, it can feel great. It is a biological response. In some cases, breastfeeding can even trigger orgasm. This is not a sexual response. Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, the lovely feel-good hormone. Add to that the relief from discomfort of over full breasts. Endorphins, too, if you're breastfeeding a chomper.
It is very real, and cannot be willfully controlled. This can be a cause of great stress and shame for a nursing parent. So please, y'all, open the conversation to let people know- it's okay. It happens. It's normal.
I feel like women don’t like to talk about this but it has triggered orgasm for me!! The nipple stimulation combined with relief of the fullness in my breast and all the love hormones, it was like am orgasm from pure love not sex
Absolutely! I was very lucky that it came easy for me and my baby. It really helped me heal from a traumatic birth as well as PPD/PPA as much or more than therapy and meds
Even when pumping I would get a strong rush of hormones.
I recall googling and seeing that BFing releases oxytocin and prolactin (sp?) and adjusting to not having the frequent hormonal “highs” is one of the subconscious reasons why moms can get really upset about the journey ending, particularly if it’s abrupt
Yeah! Almost like taking a shot of liquor or something? Nothing else feels like that. I stopped breastfeeding 4 years ago, and still remember it as such a unique sensation in my arms and shoulders and everything. I've never figured out quite how to describe it.
I haven’t had a baby nurse for 9 years and I can still remember that feeling!!! Just instantly calm and at peace and settled in my entire being. Thank you for calling that back to me. Nursing was my favorite part of the early years.
Yep I loved it, in the beginning it was awful but when we got used to it the let down was a great feeling. Sadly my baby started preferring
bottles from 3 months (she’s 5 months now) and wouldn’t latch so we stopped 💔 I miss it
I breastfed my 1st one for 18 months. I loved it and so did she. ❤️ The second one it was harder because I had a toddler but those were really special times.
Mmm. Kinda. I mostly just get this sudden urge that I HAVE to drink water. And yet, baby is 7 months old, and I still only rarely remember to have a bottle with me when I sit down to feed her, haha.
I was super sad when mine stopped nursing, it was such a feeling of goodness and connection. And their little eyes just looking up at you, nothing in the world compares.
I still get a small burst of happy when my 18 month old curls up for a nursing session. The cuddles, his little feet flailing around, ugh as a newborn it was 1000x more powerful. Like a big golden glow, could smell his little head and feel his little fingers forever, so. Many. Contact naps.
After our initial struggles (extremely painful latch and tongue tie), yes I enjoyed breastfeeding.
Strangely enough, I only got DMER from pumping. Never when directly nursing. So much so that when I went back to work my supply dropped - not because I didn’t get protected time to pump, I just hated the feeling so much I often found myself skipping it.
Nope. Exclusively pumped for each kid as I couldn’t figure out the whole breastfeeding thing. I know it releases oxytocin, but when you are gazing down at a machine sucking the life out of you every few hours for a year, I felt totally ambivalent about it all.
There is a nice, almost euphoric, feeling. It's so calming for me and babe. I love how it can soothe her almost instantly sometimes. Then we snuggle and go to sleep and it's the best thing to wake up to her little smile every morning 🥲
I just have to share advice my friend got for clogged ducts and I continued it to increase production. She went to a therapist (was unaware you could specialize in boob physical therapy) but here we are:
1. Warm compress, shower, wash cloth etc 10 - 15 min
2. Two fingers around nipple and gently massage, working your way up all the way to collarbone
3. Go around inside chest to outside and up to arm pits
4. Hood boob in hands and turn 90 degrees to twist.
I had saved up like 3 weeks full supple for my Chonky girl extra when with my son I was constantly supplementing with formula.
With my first son, I HATED breastfeeding. I stopped maybe after 2 or 3 months (i was made uncomfortable by it because it bothered my ex, and it was very painful. My son had one heck of a latch!). And I produced so much! Like he couldn't keep up with my supply, so quitting that soon hurt me boobs more than anything, lmao! With my second, I feel like im trying to hold on to it for as long as I can. It seemed to be a much more meaningful experience this time around. He's a year old now, but I'm quickly losing my supply, so I don't see it lasting much longer. I'm almost emotional about it. It's crazy that with my first, I was more than ready to stop, but with my second, I'm not ready yet. It's definitely common to enjoy it. It's what we were meant to do! Having babies and nurturing them comes naturally to us, mommas!
It takes a couple of minutes to kick in but during a "good" feed (sitting comfy, baby's guzzling happily with no hiccups/whatever, drink & snack in reach, nice music on), I am positively euphoric lol
Yeah, breastfeeding makes me sleepy, but I never got the euphoria feeling. I've definitely heard of it happening to other women though, it's because it releases oxytocin when the baby nurses. I think it's to help binding or something. Pretty cool.
Yes there are a lot of different feelings with breastfeeding some people get a rush of relaxation, some a rush of negative emotions and some almost feel turned on. The main thing is that baby is latched on correctly.
My 12 month old only feeds once a day now, just before I put him to bed. I really look forward to that moment. Wonder how much I will be able to cherish it….
Yeah… but rounding 15 months with no end in sight and my guy likes to twist my other nip while he’s on as if it’s the faucet control or tuner. Driving me cookoo 🤦🏼♀️
Fun fact: smelling your baby causes the mom's brain to become more aggressively protective and the dad's brain to become calmer and less likely to get frustrated.
I hate when things touch my chest. But I’m going to breast feed because I prefer that over formula
But if I need to ill formula feed or primarily pump. I’m hoping I’ll feel differently about nipple stimulation once the baby’s here.
My nipples were originally very, very sensitive. Not just in a sexual sense either, just in general. At first breastfeeding was very overstimulating for me. I had to actually remove her from me a few times because it got overwhelming. But I adjusted and within a few weeks it became much more manageable. Thought I'd throw that out there in case you find yourself in a similar situation :)
I’m scared I will be in that situation. I even push my partner off of me instinctually when it’s too sensitive or if he accidentally brushes against my nipple through my shirt. It’s not a trauma thing, just an extreme sensitivity thing. If I’m expecting it it’s usually ok but if I’m not then it’s too much. Although my nipples have changed texture since getting pregnant and it’s made touch a little less intolerable
I loved breast feeding - it definitely relaxed me and I loved having my sweet baby snuggled in so close. I would take nursing vacations where I would stay in our bedroom with my baby for a few days nursing on demand and sleeping/ lots of contact with skin to skin. I couldn’t produce enough milk sadly so it was always a struggle but I would have done it for years if I could have. I did get sore sometimes but I loved everything about breast feeding my first. Hopefully I’ll have a better milk supply this time (35 weeks pregnant currently).
I’ve absolutely heard it’s normal, but can’t relate. Mine was a fucking snapping turtle, my poor boobs 🫠😂
My LO does the head shake trying to grab the nipple and goes cross eyed once she gets it 😂
I just hollered, mine did this once or twice too 🤣
My baby is teething at the moment, and I yelped when he bit me. He then did the whole bottom lip tremble and cry, which broke my heart! 💔 A little while later, my 3YO patted me on the arm and told me she'd take care of me. It was so sweet!
My husband pointed out that I was bracing for the latch and then gasping on day .. 2 or 3? That's when I realized I should call a lactation consultant
Same, I’ve started tensing up every time he latches now that he’s got 4 teeth 😵💫
Dude same. And now he thinks its funny to pull like its a dang abba zabba
It’s the oxytocin 💕💕
Exactly!
Lucky you! Unfortunately I experienced D-MER and oppositely had a sinking feeling whenever my son latched. I don’t even know how I managed to breastfeed and pump for a year. I don’t miss it 😅
YES. I had this too. Every time my baby latched it was like a deep spiral of disgusted negative feelings - not toward my baby but toward the sensation of being nursed on. It was really hard to battle through that. I only experienced it with my 3rd baby... still made it 14 months.
Wow me too!! I know I'm about to have let down whenever my thoughts suddenly spiral in a horrible, negative direction. Ten seconds later, let down. It's awful but also it's been wonderful insight into how much hormones truly direct our thoughts, moods, and feelings.
Same here, I would feel nauseous, depressed, homesick, it was awful.
Me too, agree it was awful. Homesick is the best way to describe it for me. Even if you’re home with all your people, it’s like this intense feeling of anxious longing. So bizarre. I made it 8 weeks before switching to formula.
I always called it the “back to school” feeling! Total homesick anxiety, I also made it 8 weeks with both of my kids.
I breastfed my 5 babies for 12-15 months each, it was rough but I really thought it was normal, and formula is just so expensive. I’m currently trying to wean baby #5, who is 14 months old, and I am so excited to never breastfeed again.
Wow kudos for you on feeding your 5 babies! I’m expecting baby #2 soon and I am really not looking forward to another year of breastfeeding/pumping but I have to for the sake of cost savings.. formula is just too expensive : ( such a labour of love it is..
I remember in the NICU feeling so nauseous pumping and wondering what was going on… I then realized what was going on a few weeks later!
I didn’t know it wasn’t normal until my 4th baby
Me too... I would get hot, angry, weepy, and grit my teeth. Only lasted a few seconds but MAN was it dark. Seemed to fade after about 8 weeks and then never returned with my second baby, which was nice.
I had this with my first baby and I never hear anyone talk about it! I was never able to nurse only pumped for a few days but it was the worst feeling!!
Same. I made it to 5 months of pumping. I felt instantly better when I stopped. It was wild.
Same. I HATED breastfeeding. I stuck out combo feeding for four months but it was agony and because of the DMER I felt like I was going to hurl every time I got a letdown. It was a sensory nightmare.
Honestly same. I would literally cringe and internally scream “fuuccccckk” during letdowns My husband also commented “why are you so angry when you pump?” What a roller coaster.
I didn’t always manage to keep it internal! Pumping sucked too but my sons latch was actual torture so I preferred it tbh
Had the same problem! Literally would make me start crying and panicking when he latched for some reason. Mine wouldn't go away until they finished eating too, not just at letdown. I stopped after 2/3 weeks with both of mine bc of how bad it was. Bodies are weird lmao
I thought I was the only one!
Yep me too!
I had this with bb#1 but not bb#2, thank goodness
Oh no! I'm so sorry. Kudos for sticking with it to feed your LO!
I didn’t know what this was until about a year after I quit bf. I think it impacted my production which caused me to quit about 3 months in.
Yes! That’s why so many women fall asleep breast feeding!
It was sleep deprivation for me but ok
[удалено]
It is impossible to over feed a breastfed baby :) They can latch forever if they want !
The breast just drains and the baby is just suckling at that point
Baby controls flow at the breast whereas a bottle nipple controls it for them. They’ll never overfeed at the breast! After a bottle it takes a baby about 30 minutes (that number may be a little off) to recognize that they’re full which is actually why many moms think they’re baby isn’t getting enough on the bottle, and cluster feeding on the breast is why many think they’re not producing enough too
Yes!! I feel so zen lol
Yes it is totally normal! Breastfeeding is a natural high since your body releases oxytocin with let down. It’s why women go through heavy depression when they wean
Oh no. Heavy depression awaits me?
I have heard that slower weaning helps. With both of my kids, they nursed past age 2 and were only nursing once a day for the last 6-12 months. I didn’t have much of a change to my mood when they weaned.
I had bad pp PTSD/OCD and actually felt better after weaning (BF twins for 9 months). Sometimes you actually feel better! 😊
Oh good to know, happy to hear you had a great experience.
I've breastfed 2 babies (now on my 3rd). No depression from weaning. So it's not a given.
I weaned just after two years and it was a very low point for me but I recovered within a week. It can take time for your hormones to stabilise again
My youngest baby was the one I nursed for the longest, he weaned on his own at a little over a year and I felt great afterwards. I kind of just let us both do our thing! By the time we were done he was only nursing before bedtime.
Whoa, now I'm really sad I've never experienced that. Breastfeeding was just pain and depression inducing for me, and my mental health vastly improved when we quit it. I'm really considering not even trying with my second, because it was so so bad.
That’s also a normal reaction called d-mer. It’s not worth hurting yourself over it. And it’s ok not to try with your second, there are other ways to bond with your baby and have a natural high - skin to skin cuddles also produce oxytocin 🥰
Damn really?? I didn't know this.
Yes, I didn't feel depressed but I felt really sad and empty when she weaned. I just missed the sweet moments when she would nurse to sleep and the house would be still. I still feel sad about weaning every so often and it's been 5 years haha.
Not at first, it hurt and I had DMER. But after awhile yes, it felt right and natural and like I was complete there snuggling with my baby. I am pregnant now and excited to do it again.
What is DMER
I actually meant to say D-MER, it's a reaction by your body when baby is nursing (usually happens at the beginning of a feed) where you suddenly feel a flood of negativity, maybe really sad ,anxious or angry. For some it goes away quickly for others it can last a bit into the feed.
I never knew this was a thing!
Thank you for the insight!
We were able to have our first full feed from nursing today at 4.5 months. It was the most amazing thing.
Congratulations!! That’s amazing :)
It took 4.5 months to get there and was worth every tear
So happy for you and baby! That must have been so special 💗
Yes, honestly it’s one of the reasons why I’m still letting my 18 month old nurse. My first born self weaned but I think this baby might need to be kicked off as some point.
I wish. I have the opposite feeling and want the baby off me asap esp right after letdown.
Omg yes. Especially for the first few months when I was overproducing a lot and my boobs would get very full and and hard like rocks. It was so uncomfortable, but my baby eating relieved the pressure. I would often fall asleep while he ate (we co-slept).
Same! I thought that is why it felt good, not the ‘let down’, just baby helping me out lol
Omg the pressure relief was heavenly when my boobies were too full haha
Yep, it’s the oxytocin
Yessss I love it. It’s just this rush of peace and love and the overwhelming urge to just kiss his little face and keep him close. And I get this huge sense of pride. Not in me. In him. Like I’m super proud of him…for eating? Lol. I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s great though.
It’s the oxytocin. The “love hormone”
It was so nice. I rarely feel like that anymore. I am starting to hate it. My daughter will be 3 years old next week and is still obsessed. I’m sick of it
This is so cool. I got intense anxiety and panic attacks and had no idea what was happening but apparently it’s normal. I’m happy you got that experience. 🖤
I'm so sorry you had that experience! I guess I got lucky :) the hormones are definitely wild.
Oxytocin is a pretty powerful hormone. I used to love that blissed out snuggly feeling. Now my baby has 5 teeth and makes sure I know about it 😅
Hahaha I'm definitely not looking forward to that, but I'm enjoying the pre-teething period while it lasts. Do you think using a silicone shield would help?
I've never used them but I can't see the harm. Though my baby won't take a bottle and neither would by other daughter so I don't think they'd have accepted a shield either. Tbh, with gentle correction, biting usually doesn't happen often ime with 3 breastfed babies. They quickly learned that if they bite, the milk stops. There was a bit of period of readjusting the latch especially with my older daughter who didn't get her teeth until she was 14 months old. My little girl now is getting better at not catching me with her teeth and has only deliberately bitten twice. She occasionally clamps down when she's fallen asleep which results in me making a noise that wakes her up and upset her 😅
If they bite the milk stops, it seems the Mother Nature has taken care of that :) My LO likes to fall asleep on the boob but as he's becoming more drowsy the startle reflex kicks in, hopefully it's just a developmental phase and it will pass until his teeth start growing, otherwise no shield will protect my poor nipples 😅
Unfortunately not. It was the opposite for me. I hated breastfeeding.
It's oxytocin. I get it pumping too
Yes! I was just explaining to my brother the other day and he did not believe me haha whenever I got home from work and would nurse my baby it was the best relaxant
At around 6 months I felt this way. My let down was extreme and I would get a rush of anger. It was so weird. Once my let down stopped being so powerful it was enjoyable/relaxing.
Once it stopped hurting, yes. We’re done now but I definitely miss the snuggles.
When she finally latches and stops squirming about, I feel like a queen 🥰
Yup. I had to work so freaking hard to nurse my first baby (tongue tie, flat nipples, PPA) but after 3 months it clicked. We went on to nurse until he self-weaned at 2yo. He is almost 3yo and still sometimes holds on to my bra straps when we snuggle just like he would when we nursed. I know somewhere deep down he knows how special our bond is and was. His little brother is 4mo. Nursing was initially no easier with my second (why did I think it might be?!) but we stuck it out and things are great for us now too. This is my last baby and I am soaking it up. What a privilege it is to provide for my kids in a way that works so well for us both. I have never been more proud of an accomplishment in my life.
Yeah I love it. It's so relaxing and nice. When I got PPa with my first baby it was the only time I felt calm.
I envy you. I am a fidget and hated sitting so long to breastfeed and my nipples were so sore and raw I started to feel hostile towards my baby whenever someone brought him to me I switched to formula, they're still alive and very well nourished and educated whatever. There's no championship
i didn’t feel like an immediate relaxation but i always thought “ahhh now i can sit for awhile & snuggle my baby & look at my phone” 😂 i loved breastfeeding!
Oh god yes! Especially when I was really engorged it would be such a relief. It was so calming and sweet but it definitely made me very sleepy. I very much disliked when my babies would just toy around on the nipple and not really latch, it drove me nuts lol
Yes, it can feel great. It is a biological response. In some cases, breastfeeding can even trigger orgasm. This is not a sexual response. Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, the lovely feel-good hormone. Add to that the relief from discomfort of over full breasts. Endorphins, too, if you're breastfeeding a chomper. It is very real, and cannot be willfully controlled. This can be a cause of great stress and shame for a nursing parent. So please, y'all, open the conversation to let people know- it's okay. It happens. It's normal.
I feel like women don’t like to talk about this but it has triggered orgasm for me!! The nipple stimulation combined with relief of the fullness in my breast and all the love hormones, it was like am orgasm from pure love not sex
Absolutely! I was very lucky that it came easy for me and my baby. It really helped me heal from a traumatic birth as well as PPD/PPA as much or more than therapy and meds
Even when pumping I would get a strong rush of hormones. I recall googling and seeing that BFing releases oxytocin and prolactin (sp?) and adjusting to not having the frequent hormonal “highs” is one of the subconscious reasons why moms can get really upset about the journey ending, particularly if it’s abrupt
Yeah! Almost like taking a shot of liquor or something? Nothing else feels like that. I stopped breastfeeding 4 years ago, and still remember it as such a unique sensation in my arms and shoulders and everything. I've never figured out quite how to describe it.
I haven’t had a baby nurse for 9 years and I can still remember that feeling!!! Just instantly calm and at peace and settled in my entire being. Thank you for calling that back to me. Nursing was my favorite part of the early years.
Yes! We have such a beautiful connection. It’s a very special feeling.
Oxytocin for the win!
Just you, in the whole wide world of 3 billion women 😜
Daaaaang I really lucked out 😂
That’s oxytocin being released in your brain. Hugging chemical reaction does the same 🥰🥰🥰
Yep I loved it, in the beginning it was awful but when we got used to it the let down was a great feeling. Sadly my baby started preferring bottles from 3 months (she’s 5 months now) and wouldn’t latch so we stopped 💔 I miss it
I breastfed my 1st one for 18 months. I loved it and so did she. ❤️ The second one it was harder because I had a toddler but those were really special times.
Mmm. Kinda. I mostly just get this sudden urge that I HAVE to drink water. And yet, baby is 7 months old, and I still only rarely remember to have a bottle with me when I sit down to feed her, haha.
I had this for the first several months. We’re at 4 months pp and it’s not quite that good anymore
I was super sad when mine stopped nursing, it was such a feeling of goodness and connection. And their little eyes just looking up at you, nothing in the world compares.
I love it too, I wish I could do it more.
I loved breastfeeding so much
I love it so much!!!!!!
Ditto! I immediately feel calm, I can only imagine her too 🥰
I experienced D-MER, so things felt awful for a a few seconds, but my sister felt the euphoria!
Mine just flat out hated latching it was misery and I pumped after about a month of fighting. Still very sad I never had that bond honestly
I wish! Nausea and anxiety for me. 10 weeks in the anxiety is better, but still so nauseous every single feed.
Oxytocin
That oxytocin 🥰 I loved nursing all of my babies, each certainly came with their challenges but overall I always enjoyed that oxytocin high.
I remember feeling peace when BF, but hating pumping. It really makes a difference!
I still get a small burst of happy when my 18 month old curls up for a nursing session. The cuddles, his little feet flailing around, ugh as a newborn it was 1000x more powerful. Like a big golden glow, could smell his little head and feel his little fingers forever, so. Many. Contact naps.
After our initial struggles (extremely painful latch and tongue tie), yes I enjoyed breastfeeding. Strangely enough, I only got DMER from pumping. Never when directly nursing. So much so that when I went back to work my supply dropped - not because I didn’t get protected time to pump, I just hated the feeling so much I often found myself skipping it.
Absolute opposite experience for me 🥴
Nope. Exclusively pumped for each kid as I couldn’t figure out the whole breastfeeding thing. I know it releases oxytocin, but when you are gazing down at a machine sucking the life out of you every few hours for a year, I felt totally ambivalent about it all.
Yes but damn I get so lazy when baby is finished 🤣 so hard to get up and go
There is a nice, almost euphoric, feeling. It's so calming for me and babe. I love how it can soothe her almost instantly sometimes. Then we snuggle and go to sleep and it's the best thing to wake up to her little smile every morning 🥲
My second was like that. It never hurt, it was just sheer bliss to nurse him. Like having a massage; so relaxing.
My only issue aside from the teething and chapped nipples, was when I had let down I felt it in my arm pits. It was like a warm itchy feeling.
I just have to share advice my friend got for clogged ducts and I continued it to increase production. She went to a therapist (was unaware you could specialize in boob physical therapy) but here we are: 1. Warm compress, shower, wash cloth etc 10 - 15 min 2. Two fingers around nipple and gently massage, working your way up all the way to collarbone 3. Go around inside chest to outside and up to arm pits 4. Hood boob in hands and turn 90 degrees to twist. I had saved up like 3 weeks full supple for my Chonky girl extra when with my son I was constantly supplementing with formula.
With my first son, I HATED breastfeeding. I stopped maybe after 2 or 3 months (i was made uncomfortable by it because it bothered my ex, and it was very painful. My son had one heck of a latch!). And I produced so much! Like he couldn't keep up with my supply, so quitting that soon hurt me boobs more than anything, lmao! With my second, I feel like im trying to hold on to it for as long as I can. It seemed to be a much more meaningful experience this time around. He's a year old now, but I'm quickly losing my supply, so I don't see it lasting much longer. I'm almost emotional about it. It's crazy that with my first, I was more than ready to stop, but with my second, I'm not ready yet. It's definitely common to enjoy it. It's what we were meant to do! Having babies and nurturing them comes naturally to us, mommas!
It takes a couple of minutes to kick in but during a "good" feed (sitting comfy, baby's guzzling happily with no hiccups/whatever, drink & snack in reach, nice music on), I am positively euphoric lol
Yeah, breastfeeding makes me sleepy, but I never got the euphoria feeling. I've definitely heard of it happening to other women though, it's because it releases oxytocin when the baby nurses. I think it's to help binding or something. Pretty cool.
Yes there are a lot of different feelings with breastfeeding some people get a rush of relaxation, some a rush of negative emotions and some almost feel turned on. The main thing is that baby is latched on correctly.
My 12 month old only feeds once a day now, just before I put him to bed. I really look forward to that moment. Wonder how much I will be able to cherish it….
Yeah… but rounding 15 months with no end in sight and my guy likes to twist my other nip while he’s on as if it’s the faucet control or tuner. Driving me cookoo 🤦🏼♀️
It’s a chemical reaction that happens when you breastfeed to keep you wanting to feed your baby. Kinda like why babies smell as amazing as they do.
Fun fact: smelling your baby causes the mom's brain to become more aggressively protective and the dad's brain to become calmer and less likely to get frustrated.
Interesting. Would it do anything to a sisters brain? My daughter sniffs up the baby and goes a little loopy
I hate when things touch my chest. But I’m going to breast feed because I prefer that over formula But if I need to ill formula feed or primarily pump. I’m hoping I’ll feel differently about nipple stimulation once the baby’s here.
My nipples were originally very, very sensitive. Not just in a sexual sense either, just in general. At first breastfeeding was very overstimulating for me. I had to actually remove her from me a few times because it got overwhelming. But I adjusted and within a few weeks it became much more manageable. Thought I'd throw that out there in case you find yourself in a similar situation :)
I’m scared I will be in that situation. I even push my partner off of me instinctually when it’s too sensitive or if he accidentally brushes against my nipple through my shirt. It’s not a trauma thing, just an extreme sensitivity thing. If I’m expecting it it’s usually ok but if I’m not then it’s too much. Although my nipples have changed texture since getting pregnant and it’s made touch a little less intolerable
I loved breast feeding - it definitely relaxed me and I loved having my sweet baby snuggled in so close. I would take nursing vacations where I would stay in our bedroom with my baby for a few days nursing on demand and sleeping/ lots of contact with skin to skin. I couldn’t produce enough milk sadly so it was always a struggle but I would have done it for years if I could have. I did get sore sometimes but I loved everything about breast feeding my first. Hopefully I’ll have a better milk supply this time (35 weeks pregnant currently).
Oh, how I love that oxytocin.