Has anyone heard of D-MER (nursing condition)?

Sue · by **Sue** on Sat Oct 04, 2008 8:20 pm

http://www.d-mer.org/Home_Page.html

My little sister is thrilled to find a 'name' for what she has been struggling with (and it has been a struggle) for many months. Reading about it tonight in depth to understand and help her.

VERY basically - it is let-down anxiety/negative feelings, etc.

monikah · by **monikah** on Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:23 pm

Wow, in all my reading, I have never come across this one. I couldn't even find a reference to it in the LLL Breastfeeding Answer Book which is about 700 pages long. How difficult it must be for her and good for her for continuing to nurse despite it.

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex is a newly recognized condition affecting lactating women that is characterized by an abrupt dysphoria, or negative emotions that occur just before milk release and continuing not more then a few minutes

Sue · by **Sue** on Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:32 pm

Chatted online to her tonight about it all while reading about it also for 2 hours PLUS... This link has many comments of women who are so relieved to find that they are 'normal', ie. share the feelings with others.

http://www.askmoxie.org/2008/07/d-mer-o ... -down.html

My sister doesn't know where to go from here in terms of treating it, but said that interestingly, she does not dread nursing, nor wants to quit nursing because of it. But, she describes herself as around a Level 1-2 on the Spectrum. So sad to read of women who are at the most severe of levels. I suggested that my sister start journalling even just a few notes about how/when/what she feels as a baseline for when she feels ready to pursue natural or otherwise treatment/supplements.

monikah · by **monikah** on Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:54 pm

I'm wondering if this sort of thing improves with time?

I know, for instance, when DS was small, I used to have the most painful letdowns and would rarely (like once!) feel the feel-good, relaxing, calming sensations that other nursing mothers feel just before their milk lets-down. After a full 6 months of nursing, I noticed recently I am feeling those oxytocin surges before each let-down. Can't imagine why things would change after 6 months, but here it is. Perhaps things will change for your sister also.

myboy · by **myboy** on Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:39 pm

Wow, very interesting. I think I may have had this with my first. I just hated breastfeeding. I would dread even having to do it and the thought of it would make me just want to run away. I stopped at about 2.5 to 3 months after my guy was born and I felt totally fine after about 2 weeks. I mean I still had him waking up about the same, but while breastfeeding I thought it was a never ending void of dismay. I always wondered what this bond was that women would talk about. For me it was depressing, tiring, and just a pain in the @#$! Many times I had to just let the baby cry for a bit because I just couldn't go through with it. Very frustrating. The lactation consultants advice was to feed every hour!! Yah, that made me feel better! I am due here in a week, so maybe this time I will be able to recognise it and deal with it better. Thanks for the post.