Does Breastfeeding Cause Postpartum Depression? EP 227

Let's get real about a conversation that's been making waves and honestly, stirring up a lot of confusion: Does breastfeeding cause postpartum depression (PPD)?

If you've been working with new mothers or navigating the postpartum journey yourself, you've probably heard this claim, and it's time to dig into why blaming breastfeeding is not only inaccurate but also a massive distraction from the real issues impacting maternal mental health. This episode isn't just a discussion; it's a powerful call to action for every perinatal professional dedicated to truly supporting postpartum wellness and understanding the root causes of postnatal depression. 

Check out the episode on the blog HERE. 

Key time stamps: 

• 00:00: Does breastfeeding cause postpartum depression?
• 02:31: maternal mental health struggles beyond just breastfeeding.
• 03:26: Research confirms breastfeeding's protective role in postpartum mental health.
• 05:00: Deconstructing systemic failures + breastfeeding mothers.
• 06:08: The critical role of breastfeeding support for preventing PPD.
• 07:10: Understanding pressure and shame in infant feeding decisions.
• 09:19: Nutrient depletion  & postpartum depression symptoms.
• 10:43: How early return to work & maternity leave affect breastfeeding
• 12:06: Why isolation in postpartum care impacts mental health.
• 14:21: The issue with misinformation and poor lactation education.
• 15:49: Debunking myths about breastfeeding and sleep for new parents.
• 17:21: Key exceptions: D-MER and breast trauma in breastfeeding
• 18:51: Prioritizing trauma-informed care in postpartum support.
• 21:05: How postpartum providers can support breastfeeding & mental health.
• 22:15: Focus on the environment of care for new mothers.
• 24:52: Rebuilding a postpartum care system for nourished mothers.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction: The Failed Postpartum Care System
• 2:34 Debunking The Breastfeeding-Depression Myth
• 5:24 The Actual Causes: Support and System Failures
• 12:28 Critical Exceptions: DMER and Trauma
• 18:46 Supporting Mothers: Validation and Real Solutions
• 26:32 Conclusion: Shifting the Conversation

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

The postpartum care system is failing, leaving countless mothers struggling with depression, anxiety and autoimmune conditions. I'm Miranda Bauer and I've helped thousands of providers use holistic care practices to heal their clients at the root. Subscribe now and join us in addressing what modern medicine overlooks, so that you can give your clients real, lasting solutions for lifelong wellbeing. Welcome back to the podcast. Today's episode is going to stir some hearts and shake up a few beliefs and hopefully, if I do this right, bring clarity, compassion and truth to the conversation that has been wildly misunderstood. I want to talk about something I've seen everywhere lately, and it's this growing claim that breastfeeding causes postpartum depression. Now, listen, I get it. I've been there. I have four children and I've breastfed for a total of five years. I've had beautiful, deeply bonding experiences and I've had moments where breastfeeding broke me. I've had cracked nipples, sleepless nights and I still have scars from thrush on my nipples. I still, to this day, like have scars on my nipples from thrush because I had it way too long and I suffered way too much and I've had to quit breastfeeding before I wanted to. I've cried while nursing, I've celebrated, I've mourned it. I know both sides. So this episode, it is personal, but it is also professional, because I've worked with thousands of mothers and providers and what I'm seeing more and more is this pattern A mother struggles, she's exhausted, overwhelmed, touched out, and the conclusion breastfeeding is making me depressed. But here's the thing that thinking that motherhood itself is to blame is the exact same framework that Western medical system has been operating in for decades and has failed. They say postpartum causes depression, that being a mother makes you miserable, that your biology is broken. But I'm calling BS. That is not a biologically normal response. It is a broken system projecting its failure onto women.

Speaker 1: 2:31

So today I want to break this wide open. We're going to talk about why so many women feel this way, what's actually going on and why blaming breastfeeding is distracting us from the real issues, because breastfeeding doesn't cause depression, but you know what does? A lack of support, nutrient depletion, no paid leave, birth trauma, lack of education and real, knowledgeable support, and systems that don't care for a mother and doesn't give a hoot whether or not she's surviving or thriving. So we have to go deeper. We have to stop blaming the breast and start naming the real problem. And yes, there's always exceptions. We're going to talk about that. We're going to talk about trauma, because this is not about shame. This is about truth, healing and liberation, so let's get into it. This is about truth, healing and liberation, so let's get into it.

Speaker 1: 3:26

Actually, let's break down a couple of things, because breastfeeding is really protective in many cases. Yes, many women report feeling overwhelmed and exhausted or depressed during their breastfeeding journey and, yes, some even walk away with the belief that breastfeeding caused their depression. But here's the truth when you zoom out and you look at the research, breastfeeding is overwhelmingly associated with improved mental health outcomes. So if we look at the data, we know that one breastfeeding was significantly associated with lower risk of postpartum depression, especially when women were able to breastfeed as long as they intended to. There's a study that shows that exclusively breastfeeding for at least three months correlated with lower levels of depressive symptoms at six months postpartum, even after controlling for sleep and other stressors. Postpartum, even after controlling for sleep and other stressors. Another study found that women who breastfed experienced lower levels of anxiety and stress hormones, including cortisol, compared to those who didn't.

Speaker 1: 4:35

These studies are like we can. We can find so many studies on breastfeeding. It's actually ridiculous. There's more studies done on breastfeeding and mental health than any other type of studies at all. But what we know is that breastfeeding in the right environment, with support and nourishment and rest, is actually extremely protective. It stimulates the release of oxytocin that's the love hormone and bonding hormone. It lowers the stress response. It supports regulation of the nervous system. Biologically it is designed to be mutually healing for both mother and baby. So if it's meant to be healing, why is it hurting so many? Because it's not the breastfeeding that's broken, it's the system. Here's what's really happening. When mothers say I think breastfeeding made me depressed, we need to pause, not to dismiss or defend Okay, but to dig deeper, because in reality, breastfeeding itself isn't the problem, it's the environment in which we ask women to breastfeed that is broken. So we want to break this down. One lack of support. There's no village. There's no hands helping with the baby, no one bringing meals, no paid maternity leave, no night shifts being shared. We ask mothers to do it all and then act shocked when they fall apart. In fact, mothers who receive hands-on breastfeeding support are significantly less likely to experience depressive symptoms than those who don't.

Speaker 1: 6:08

I remember one time talking with a mom at gymnastics. My son was doing gymnastics. This was like 10 plus years ago and she was bottle feeding her baby and I was smiling at her and I smiled at her baby and I had my own baby and I was breastfeeding my baby and she said please don't shame me. And I was like what, what are you talking about? And she was like I can't breastfeed. I don't want to breastfeed. I have a toddler that I have to chase and I can't do it with my baby on my boob. I don't know how you do it. And I had to switch to formula and I was like girl, it's fine Like you do, you, that's like I get it, like legit. Like we sat there for 30 minutes for the rest of that session together. Her children were in gymnastics practice, talking about how hard it was to chase a toddler and other kids around while breastfeeding and how little support that we had. Like that was the thing right and that's totally fine, right.

Speaker 1: 7:10

Two, there's so much pressure and shame. We push breast is best without support and when breastfeeding feels hard or impossible, women internalize it as failure. That guilt and shame that that mom felt when she was sitting next to me as I'm breastfeeding my baby and she's having to formally feed her baby. It felt so deeply and that shame and that guilt is linked to postpartum mood disorders, right. That emotional burden of perceived failure is being shown to significantly correlate with depression. To significantly correlate with depression, right? And or feeling as if you can't breastfeed or you weren't giving your baby enough, or that maybe your body was broken or you tried so hard and no matter how hard you tried, you weren't producing enough or it was hurting too much, or, you know, maybe you had cracked bleeding nipples too, like all of the things thrush is another mastitis issues, right. There's a lot of things that come with breastfeeding and the shame and the pressure and the guilt that women feel surrounding this topic makes it almost too difficult. But we don't even wanna have these conversations, that we can't have these conversations.

Speaker 1: 8:31

The very act of breastfeeding my child will stimulate fear and anxiety and guilt and shame in another mom and then she gets really upset and then tells me that I shouldn't be doing it. And we see it all on. You know that wasn't the scenario that happened at this gymnastics, but I see it all the time on in you know social media world, where mom's like, oh my gosh, I made it, I made it three months breastfeeding. And another mom comes in and says how dare you tell me? I'm doing a bad job, you know? And it has nothing to do with what that person is celebrating. It has everything to do with what that the other person is feeling inside because of the pressure and the guilt and the shame that they feel deeply, and none of that ever gets addressed right.

Speaker 1: 9:19

Then we have nutrition depletion. Breastfeeding draws heavily on the mother's nutritional stores and most women enter already depleted into postpartum and they have low iron and B12 and omega-3s and choline and iodine. They are all linked to increased risk of depression. There's one study that showed that women with low ferritin were three times more likely to develop depressive symptoms and mild anemia, which is related to ferritin and low iron. And all of the things are considered by many practitioners in postpartum to be quote unquote normal. There we go again. It's not normal, it's not okay. We got to get that up, we got to get that better in order to feel better. So a lot of these symptoms of nutrient depletion, especially when we're not getting enough. We're not getting enough support. Nobody's cooking us nutrient dense meals. We're eating leftover chicken nuggets from our kids meal, like you know, grabbing a bag of chips from the pantry, because that is the easiest thing that we could possibly do in the moment of hunger and we don't have time to make good, nutritious food. And then, at the same time, we're nourishing and sustaining our baby's life, their entire life, with our own bodies, with our milk. That's going to take its toll and we're going to feel like poo if we're not getting the nutrients that we need to sustain that.

Speaker 1: 10:43

Let's talk about women having to return to work too soon. Right, the US have we expect women to return to work very, very quickly? A mere 25% of women have paid maternity leave in the United States. Most are back at work between two weeks to six weeks. They're still healing, they're still learning to breastfeed, they're still barely sleeping, and then they're pressured to pump in closets and schedule around baby's needs.

Speaker 1: 11:14

And let's talk about the pump. The pump is not the same thing as a baby's mouth. It does not eliminate the milk from the breast, which is the number one thing required in order to continue producing breast milk. And then we wonder why we don't have enough. Right? I was that mom. No matter what kind of pump I had, it was not gonna come out. I had all the phalanges fitted, I had all the different pumps, no matter what it was, if it was not that baby. That baby was getting plenty of milk from my breasts, but the moment I used a pump it was far less, far less right. And so if I were to use a pump continuously or try to go back to work and pump, I would lose my milk supply and that would have been so heartbreaking.

Speaker 1: 12:06

And it is heartbreaking for so many women who have no other choice. They have to feed their children, they have to go back to work, they have to do it to pay the mortgage, the rent. Right To provide food for their toddlers Like that is a necessity for so many women and such a huge driver of stress and anxiety, massive right. So that's a huge component of this. The other is isolation. The breastfeeding relationship was never meant to be held by one person. In most cultures, mothers are surrounded by aunties and sisters and grandmothers, all caring for this mother-baby diet. But here in today's world, mom sits alone in dark rooms at 2 am, doubting everything, sleep exhausted, and she lacks the community and co-regulation that really supports or creates mental health conditions that nobody wants. We cannot do this.

Speaker 1: 14:21

Here's the other component misinformation and lack of education. Most moms have no access to skilled, trauma-informed lactation support. They don't even know what's normal, how to fix a latch or why they're in pain. And then we have so many more people coming online rather than doing it in person, thanks to COVID and just the growing boom of the online world. We want education that comes via a video, and for breastfeeding moms, that's actually really, really difficult. There was a recent study that I just shared in the newsletter that went out a couple of weeks ago about how this is actually not what women want. They do not want videos anymore, they want in-person education. They want somebody there to help them and support them. And what we're also finding is that many lactation educators or lactation consultants IBCLC is a really prime example Many of them are trained in some really outdated methods and that can lead to confusion. It leads to a massive gap in education between provider and moms, and many moms are leaving confused, unsupported, and they're more likely to wean early or have associated breastfeeding with suffering.

Speaker 1: 15:49

Right, and the other component is sleep. I hear this one so much and this is a twist that most people don't expect. Breastfeeding mothers actually get far more total sleep than formula-fed mothers. Exclusively breastfeeding mothers got 40 to 45 percent, 40 to 45 minutes longer per night of sleep than those who used formula, because they're not having to prep for bottles and they're less postpartum depression, because they're sleeping better. And I hear often well, I am able to sleep more because my partner is able, able to come in and take care of the feeding, and that is absolutely beautiful and that works if your partner is showing up, right, but that is required and for a lot of moms that's not the case, right, and we're seeing that more and more frequently. Again, that is a support issue, not a breastfeeding issue. So not a breastfeeding issue, so not a breastfeeding issue. It's the lack of support that turns nighttime feeding into an exhausting, lonely burden. Okay, so here's a recap lack of support, pressure and shame, nutrient depletion, returning to work too soon, isolation, misinformation and lack of education and quality of sleep. It's not breastfeeding that causes depression. It's being expected to breastfeed in a culture that offers zero support. And that is the conversation that we need to be having.

Speaker 1: 17:21

While we've established breastfeeding itself is not the cause of postpartum depression for the vast majority of mothers, there are some critical exceptions and they very much matter. So we have DMER dysphoric milk ejection reflex. Dmer is a condition that affects a very small percentage of breastfeeding mothers, and it is very real. It's characterized by a sudden wave of like negative emotion, like sadness, dread anxiety that just occurs before milk let down, and it can happen with every feeding, and for some women it's absolutely debilitating. This is not psychological, it's biological. Deemer is believed to be related to a drop in dopamine that accompanies the release of prolactin during milk ejection, and so research is still limited. We're basically at awareness level. We know it's happening, but we don't know why this is happening. Why do women feel this way, and so it's very critical that us, providers and mothers are educated about it. Many women are told you know, women who have DMER are told that it's just in your head or dismiss it entirely, but recognizing it for what it is can be an absolute game changer. So if you want to explore this deeper, dmerorg is an excellent resource. It's backed by research, lived experience. It's a great place to go.

Speaker 1: 18:51

The other component that you absolutely need to know about is breast trauma and somatic memory. Most mothers, some mothers who cannot breastfeeding or feel that they cannot breastfeed, it's not because they have a low supply or latch issues or anything like that, which again, oftentimes is a lack of education. It's a lack of support, which is a whole different conversation. But mothers feel like they cannot breastfeed because the act of breastfeeding itself triggers trauma, and it could be due to a multitude of things. Itself triggers trauma and it could be due to a multitude of things a history of sexual assault or abuse, previous traumatic birth experiences, a strange or unsupported breastfeeding journey with a previous kid, medical trauma right involving breast or chest. In these cases the body remembers. The act of nursing becomes a trigger, not a bonding experience, and no one talks about this right. These mothers often feel deep shame and guilt and confusion, especially when they're told that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful.

Speaker 1: 19:56

But here's the truth A mother never owes anyone any explanation to why she does not breastfeed, and breastfeeding should never come at the expense of a woman's mental health, her sense of safety or body autonomy. And as providers, it's essential we lead with trauma-informed care and ask the hard questions and we normalize every experience and never, ever, ever shame. But those are two reasons why I see so many people not breastfeeding. That is very much related to postpartum depression, like the very act of breastfeeding will cause that right. But for the rest of us who are not experiencing those things, this is where we need to come in and be really, really supportive. So I want to talk a minute about how providers can support breastfeeding and mental health. And this is where the real magic happens, when we equip providers not only with the science, but also the language and the presence and the awareness to guide mothers through breastfeeding without shame or pressure or blame.

Speaker 1: 21:05

First is always validate. Validate first, always Before offering solutions, corrections or even praise, pause and validate Like you are doing an incredible thing and I know it's not always easy or you deserve to be supported, no matter how this looks for you or what's your breastfeeding experience like so far. This simple act of like opening the door are ways in which moms normally don't get to experience right. They don't normally have somebody ask them this. It shows that you're safe, that you see her, that her experience matters more than the outcome, and then educate without pressure. Many providers feel stuck because they're wanting to promote breastfeeding, because that's what the research shows, and they're not wanting to guilt mothers. But there's a nuance you can educate about the benefits of breastfeeding while making it crystal clear that the mother's well-being comes first, right. We know breastfeeding has incredible benefits, but we also know it can't come at the expense of your mental health or your sense of self. So let's find a path that works for you and your baby.

Speaker 1: 22:15

So if we frame breastfeeding as a tool, not a mandate if it works for her, great. If it doesn't work for her, her wellness still remains the priority, and then we offer real world support. The problem is really breastfeeding itself, right, and so oftentimes, when we just stop breastfeeding, the problems are always going to remain. So we have to address the real root of it. It's never going to go away just because we breastfeed, and actually we know that her likelihood of actually experiencing more depression is going to happen if she stops breastfeeding, especially before she wants to stop breastfeeding, okay. So we have to address the environment around the breastfeeding, because if that doesn't get addressed again, these symptoms are only going to get worse and they're not going to get better in any way, shape, form or fashion. We have to talk about no paid maternity leave. We have to talk about not getting a night support or no meals or house help or zero flexibility at work or lack of access to quality lactation support or no education on breastfeeding, or the unspoken trauma or somatic triggers, or the social pressure and conflicting advice.

Speaker 1: 23:29

When we say she's struggling with breastfeeding, it's rarely about her milk or her body, it's about this list right here. So instead of saying, oh well, it sounds like you're ready to just switch to formula, ask how can we lighten your load, like what kind of support do you have right now? What kind of support do you have right now? What kind of support do you need moving forward, would it help if you had someone to guide you through the feeding process right? Or the feeding process with trauma and infused care or informed care? The goal is not just feeding right. It's thriving for both mother and baby, and so we want to make sure that she has the tools that she needs.

Speaker 1: 24:12

However, she is caring for her babies, but we have to be clear that it's not breastfeeding that's going to be the problem. It's never breastfeeding that's going to be the problem. Almost never right, never. Say never. It's like both sides of the spectrum, like I see this in politics all the time. If you say never or always right, usually the answer is always in the middle, and whomever says you know the hardcore always or never is usually well, always wrong, get it. But there's always nuance. There's. You know. The answer always lies somewhere in the middle. It's never on the left or never on the right. It's always, always in the middle.

Speaker 1: 24:52

Okay, we've covered so much, and if there's one thing I hope you take away from this is that breastfeeding does not cause postpartum depression, but a broken system, lack of support, poor nourishment, a culture that asks women to do it all without rest or care or community. That absolutely can. And if you're listening into this, I want you to know, especially if you're a mom, you're not alone. Your experience is valid, your feelings are real and there is always more to the story than what you've been told. And if you're a provider, I hope this episode reminded you of the deep responsibility and privilege that you hold to help moms feel safe and seen and supported.

Speaker 1: 25:34

This isn't just about milk, it's not about babies, it's about mental health, it's about equality, it's about giving moms a fighting chance at healing. So let's stop blaming the biology of motherhood for the fallout of a culture that does not care for mothers. Let's shift the conversation. Let's bring the real issue to light. Let's do better, because when we support breastfeeding and the mothers behind it. We're just not feeding babies. We're rebuilding a world where mothers are nourished too. All right, we'll see you next week. Nourished too All right, we'll see you next week. Thanks so much for being a part of this crucial conversation. I know you're dedicated to advancing postpartum care and if you're ready to dig deeper, come join us on our newsletter, where I share exclusive insights, resources and the latest tools to help you make a lasting impact on postpartum health. Sign up at postpartumu the letter ucom which is in the show notes, and if you found today's episode valuable, please leave a review to help us reach more providers like you. Together, we're building a future where mothers are fully supported and thriving.