Key Notes
- D-MER is a condition that leads to various types of negative feelings in lactating women, such as panic, anger, irritability, hopelessness, and more
- The cause behind this condition is the drop in dopamine levels due to the release of oxytocin, which allows the body to eject milk
- While there is no medical treatment, bupropion is known to help along with other methods, such as meditation, skin-on-skin contact, using hot packs, and more
While most women worry about the painful and tiring processes of giving birth, apart from post-partum depression, they often overlook other emotional issues that could be brought on later.
One such issue is the Dysphoric milk ejection reflex during the breastfeeding. If you’ve been struggling with negative thoughts and feelings during breastfeeding, there is no need to worry; you are not alone.
What Is Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex?
This is a condition that is known to affect women who are lactating. However, not every lactating woman develops D-MER. In this condition, the woman is known to experience feelings of dysphoria or unhappiness.
These feelings are experienced right before the milk is released or the breasts are let down. While the negative feelings might be quite intense, they only last for a couple of minutes.
D-MER as a condition was first researched in the year 2007. However, within all those years, there have been but a few papers that have been published regarding the condition itself. In fact, not only mothers but some physicians are still not aware of this condition.
While the condition itself is not harmful, it has the potential to create a negative association with breastfeeding, which could cause the mother to avoid nursing her baby as much as possible or stop entirely.
Causes of Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex
Since there has been little research done on the condition itself, there is no clear-cut answer as to what it is that causes D-MER. However, the condition has been linked back to two particular hormones in the brain that are, prolactin and oxytocin.
These are the two chemical hormones released within the brain; the release of prolactin allows your body to produce the milk. On the other hand, oxytocin is released, allowing for the ejection of the milk during the feeding process.
Once the nursing process begins, the oxytocin is released in small dosages immediately after, and this lasts for the first ten minutes of the process. The release of prolactin is much more gradual and lasts for the first 20 minutes.
The release of oxytocin leads to the release of dopamine, which is another similar hormone as well as a neurotransmitter.
This hormone helps our brain to stabilize and boost our mood. In lactating women, dopamine levels drop. However, the usual drop is unnoticeable.
However, for those lactating women who suffer from D-MER, the drop in dopamine levels is much faster. This drop is why breastfeeding mothers will experience feelings of dysphoria once the nursing process begins.
Once prolactin begins to release, dopamine levels rise again, which is why the negative emotions only last for a few minutes.
Symptoms
The negative feelings associated with this condition aren’t limited to dysphoria rather there are several different types of negative feelings that can be brought on due to the condition. Here is a list of all of them.
- Feeling hopeless
- Wistfulness
- Paranoia
- Panic
- Self-hate
- Anger
- Irritability
- Suicidal thoughts
Treatments for Dysphoric Milk Ejection
Since there has been little research done, there has been little to no scientific research on how one can completely treat or prevent the onset of this condition. In fact, there aren’t any approved medical methods for the treatment of Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex.
However, you shouldn’t lose hope as there are several ways and approaches that you can use as a way to manage and cope with the feelings of negativity and dysphoria.
All of the methods of treatment mentioned below are such that they have been tried and tested by parents and have been known to help them.
- Receiving a massage before, during, or after nursing
- Putting on music to relax yourself
- Maintaining skin to skin contact with your baby during the nursing process
- Placing a heating pack on your shoulders
- Soaking your feet in a warm bath
- Meditating during the nursing process and practicing mindfulness
- Use relaxing and different breathing methods to relax your body and feelings of anger
- Taking the support of your partner or loved ones.
Apart from that, some women have found that bupropion also helps in getting rid of negative thoughts and feelings.
In fact, oftentimes, just knowing that Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex is a condition that exists is also known to help lactating women deal with the negative emotions.
Simply understanding that it is all due to an imbalance of hormones and not the way they actually feel helps manage the emotions.
