Does Weaning Affect Mood?

I was quite weepy when my babies weaned. I felt that it was a very bittersweet time (happy they were growing so well, happy to not pump at work anymore but also sad that we would no longer have that special nursing relationship and panicked at how fast the baby stage goes by because to me weaning marks a solid end to infancy and the start of toddlerhood) and I was (probably overly) emotional about it. That feeling lasted maybe 2 weeks.

I was more .. not sure of word .. before I weaned. Not hormonal but sad? That feeling you get before the end of something, as if you're going to miss it?

Then I didn't at all. There was no missing anything. It's like you think it's going to be really hard, and the baby will miss you and that comfort and you'll find it difficult .. and that bond will be gone ... and then there was none of that.

So for me, I felt really good after because it was a relief there was none of that - even with my last.

I also felt like I got to be back to myself - which was weird, because I had loved breastfeeding. Once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed it and did for about a year with each. I kept the nighttime one for a while even after supplementing.

As for hormonal - not really, because I'd already gotten my cycle and had weaned gradually, so it wasn't a big change.

I was always worried I was not producing enough so when my kids weaned I was slightly sad because our night time routine was changing but we kept it similar by reading instead of feeding. But I was more relieved that I didn't have to avoid this and eat more of that and don't forget to take supplements and such..

I think it affects your hormones so it can make a difference with how you feel.
I was back to work and my milk was drying up no matter what I did.
It was getting stressful and son was fine being supplemented with formula.
I dried up completely when he was 5 months old but it felt like a relief when it was over.
He was on formula till he was about a year old and he was fine on it.

There are hormonal changes, yes. They don't bother everyone. (Like periods and menopause, many women have a pretty easy time of it, while others have problems.) For some, weaning is liberating. For me, it was more the decision to do so. Mine wasn't voluntary though - I just had no milk and my child wasn't gaining weight. So it wasn't really weaning, you know? I was so sad and feeling (irrationally, I know) like a failure. I think that happens to some moms when the child loses interest and the mom would like to continue. But I think many,many women do just fine when it's a conscious decision that's best for them and their child. It's going to happen sometime, right? So you make the best decision for you and not worry about what anyone else says. Some women don't nurse at all, some do for a few months, some do for years. It's really a good time for all of us to find our comfort level with a whole host of parenting decisions.

I think you won't know until you go through it, from a physical standpoint. It's easier emotionally if your decision is secure and if your child adjusts fairly easily.

editing my response- for some reason i thought you meant the baby's moods, not yours. heh.

yes, i got a little blue both times i quit nursing. while in a practical sense it was a relief, i still really missed that incredible closeness and bonding. i went back to work when my babies were 5 weeks and in neither case managed to breastfeed for long.

khairete
S.