Weird Symptoms After Stopping Breastfeeding? Here’s Why

Two months after she stopped breastfeeding her daughter MacKenlee, digital influencer Angela Lanter started experiencing some weird symptoms. “It began with insomnia for me,” says Lanter. “I first saw my OB-GYN and had her test my hormones since I was having night sweats every night.”

Aside from her progesterone and estrogen being a little low, Lanter’s results came back normal. But then, after going several weeks without a full night of sleep, she took an over-the-counter sleep aid and woke up at 2 a.m. with her first panic attack. “It was terrifying,” recalls Lanter.

The next day, Lanter visited her primary care physician. She listed her symptoms, which also included nervous feelings and weight loss, and her doctor made a connection. “He immediately recognized that I was experiencing delayed post-weaning depression because his own wife had experienced it,” says Lanter.

While she was relieved to hear that the weird symptoms she was experiencing after stopping breastfeeding were connected to a medical condition, Lanter was also shocked: She had never heard the term post-weaning depression before.

“This has to be fake, right? Nope. It’s a real thing. And turns out it’s something that we women aren’t talking about enough,” she wrote in an Instagram post.

Lanter quickly learned other parents could relate to her struggle and many shared that they had also experienced weird symptoms after stopping breastfeeding. “So many moms have reached out and let me know that they too experienced to at least some degree what I’ve been going through,” she said. Fellow moms have also commented on her post to talk about their own experiences, including some who, just like Lanter, didn’t know anything about post-weaning depression.

What Is Post-Weaning Depression?

Post-weaning depression is a term used to describe mental health symptoms that can occur after a lactating person stops breastfeeding. Many of the symptoms that can arise after stopping breastfeeding are thought to happen as a result of hormonal fluctuations and even psychological stress.

Although it’s an area in need of additional research, there has been some research on how stopping breastfeeding can lead to symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

Gail Saltz, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry at the New York–Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, explains that post-weaning symptoms after stopping breastfeeding can include:

• Increased irritability
• Teariness
• Loss of pleasure in a usually pleasurable activity
• Fatigue
• Trouble concentrating

What Causes Post-Weaning Depression?

Post-weaning depression is thought to be caused by the hormonal changes that happen in the body when breastfeeding is stopped. There may also be a psychological association, especially if you are weaning sooner than you would like to.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening on a hormonal level that can lead to weird symptoms after stopping breastfeeding:

• A drop in oxytocin: “Oxytocin, which [rises] during breastfeeding, decreases with weaning,” explains Dr. Saltz. “This being the bonding, feel-good hormone means [someone] may miss the oxytocin good feelings and experience a more intense sense of loss and sadness.”
• A sudden drop in prolactin: Prolactin, which is typically elevated during breastfeeding, is associated with feelings of calm. Post-weaning symptoms may be more severe if you have to stop breastfeeding suddenly instead of gradually. “An abrupt decrease in this hormone, when abrupt weaning occurs, can cause [bad feelings as well],” adds Dr. Saltz.
• Decrease in estrogen: In the meantime, estrogen generally remains lower during breastfeeding and returns to pre-pregnancy levels after weaning.
• Shifting hormone levels: For some people, the changes to estrogen levels happen at slower rates, which can still have an impact on mood. “Shifting estrogen levels causes depressed or irritable mood for some [people],” says Dr. Saltz.

What Research Says About Post-Weaning Depression

There is not a lot of research or awareness about post-weaning depression, but it is noted in scientific studies on postpartum health dating as far back as 1988. In 2012, researchers noted that there is “an association between maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression and early breastfeeding cessation.”

You may be at higher risk for post-weaning depression if you:

• Have to stop breastfeeding very suddenly
• If you stop breastfeeding earlier than you wanted to
• If you had any symptoms of anxiety and/or depression before breastfeeding
• Have a pre-existing mental health condition

How Post-Weaning Depression Is Diagnosed

Unfortunately, lactating people aren’t always closely monitored for depression at the time of weaning, says David Goldstein, MD, an OB-GYN based in Philadelphia.

Dr. Saltz adds that despite some increased awareness, post-weaning depression remains less familiar to the psychiatric community than other postpartum conditions. “Women often do not reveal they have these feelings or don’t realize that [post-weaning depression] is what they are experiencing,” she notes.

Most people who have given birth are screened on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at their postpartum visits, and their OB-GYN might discuss possible symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety at that time. But most postpartum checkups happen at around six weeks postpartum and may not account for the fact that some people may wean sooner or even much later.

It can be challenging to identify post-weaning depression, but if you are having symptoms and have stopped breastfeeding in the past few weeks or even months, you should talk to a health care provider.

Depression Symptoms After Stopping Breastfeeding

Symptoms of post-weaning depression can be similar to symptoms of postpartum depression.

Dr. Goldstein says that his patients often have no idea why they are having symptoms of depression, but he has been able to tie it to post-weaning depression. “Sometimes there’s an ‘aha’ moment when you bring it to their attention,” he adds.

How To Get Help for Post-Weaning Depression

While some sadness and feelings of loss may be normal during the weaning process, if you are having severe symptoms that are affecting your everyday life, it’s best to talk to a doctor.

Dr. Saltz recommends reaching out for help if you are experiencing:

• Symptoms that interfere with your ability to function
• If you are having thoughts of suicide
• If you are having thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby
• If you are having trouble taking care of yourself or your baby
• If you are having difficulty sleeping
• If your eating habits have changed

“If the symptoms become severe enough to interfere with [your] ability to function, this is more severe and requires evaluation and treatment,” says Dr. Saltz. The good news is, there is treatment available and you don’t have to push yourself through a challenging time alone.

Anyone dealing with post-weaning symptoms can get in touch with a mental health professional, general physician, or OB-GYN who will help determine the best course of treatment, which may include therapy, medication, or supplemental hormones.

Also important? Know you’re not alone. Even if your symptoms or their timeline don’t fit the commonly painted picture of maternal mental health issues.

“Don’t suffer in silence,” says Lanter, who sought out counseling and is now taking the antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram). “Go to your doctor. Talk to your spouse, family, and friends. Seek out counseling,” she added on her Instagram post. “You will get better, but in the meantime, you do need support.”