Have you ever felt blue? Down in the dumps? Totally uninterested in life? I certainly have. Most of us have at some time or other. But when these feelings last for days and weeks, you are probably depressed and need to seek help. What if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. What can you do?
Depression and the taking of antidepressants do not mean that you can't breastfeed. In fact, breastfeeding can help decrease depression and is definitely recommended. There are other things you can do to decrease your depression, such as diet and exercise.
Thanks to Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, breastfeeding mothers now have lots of great information on depression. Keep an eye out for for Kathleen's name, as she is the expert when it comes to mothers and depression. In her recent article, Do Fats Make You Happy?, Kathleen states:
Depression is on the rise-both here and abroad. And much of this increase is due to what we eat. Over the last century, we've increased the amount of Omega-6 fatty acids in our diets, while simultaneously decreasing the amount of Omega-3s.
She encourages mothers to increase their intake of Omega-3s. But she says, "With regard to depression, Omega-3s are not all created equal... If you want the anti-depressant effects of Omega-3s, you must look for foods or supplements containing the long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids: EPA and DHA." See her article to learn more about which Omega-3s are beneficial.
Healthcare professionals often tell women that they can not breastfeed and take antidepressants. Every week someone calls or emails me asking about antidepressants. Anybody have a story they would like to share?
Our Mothers are Amazing, Our Babies are Awesome and
Breastmilk is Phenomenal
