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Body’s response post-stressful event
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- The Let Down Effect is your body’s response post-stressful event. During the let down from a stressful event, you might be more susceptible to physical illness, headaches, GI issues, and mental health symptoms, like depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and difficulty sleeping.
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What is a breastfeeding let-down reflex?
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What is the let down effect?
How do you trigger a let-down reflex?
What is the oxytocin reflex?
What is Dysphoric milk ejection reflex?
Jul 17, 2011 · By understanding your natural let-down feelings, you can learn to accept them instead of rushing to negative thoughts. You can build neural pathways that focus on possibilities instead of on...
Apr 24, 2023 · The Let Down Effect is your body’s response post-stressful event. During the let down from a stressful event, you might be more susceptible to physical illness, headaches, GI issues, and mental health symptoms, like depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and difficulty sleeping.
Jan 25, 2024 · If you’re feeling similar, know that it’s normal to feel this way; you’re not being dramatic. Mental health professionals have even given this feeling a name: the let-down effect.
The oxytocin reflex is also sometimes called the “letdown reflex” or the “milk ejection reflex”. Oxytocin is produced more quickly than prolactin. It makes the milk that is already in the breast flow for the current feed, and helps the baby to get the milk easily.
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- Outlook / Prognosis
- Living With
D-MER, or dysphoric milk ejection reflex, is a condition that affects people who are lactating. It causes you to have intense negative feelings when your milk lets down during a feeding. Research is still ongoing, but there are coping methods available to help.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving With
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What are the symptoms of D-MER?
There are several common symptoms of D-MER, but all revolve around negative thoughts. The negative feelings come quickly and leave quickly, lasting anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes. It only occurs just before you feel your milk let down. After milk begins to flow, the negative emotions disappear. People with D-MER can experience the following feelings: Sadness or hopelessness. Self-hate or low self-esteem. Sinking feeling in their stomach or feelings of dread. Anger, sadness or agitation. Anxiety or irritability. D-MER has nothing to do with nipple pain, engorgement or other irritations associated with breastfeeding or pumping. However, the feelings may be so intense that they lead you to stop breastfeeding or pumping. It’s important to note that some people’s symptoms are severe and may lead to suicidal thoughts. If you experience thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself or others, please seek medical attention immediately. People with postpartum depression may find it harder to manage symptoms of D-MER.
What causes D-MER?
Little is known about the condition. But most studies show that hormones — specifically, an abrupt decrease in a hormone called dopamine — cause D-MER. Dopamine is a hormone associated with reward and mood. Many studies show low dopamine levels can have a negative effect on your mood and emotions. When you breastfeed, your body releases prolactin (a hormone necessary for milk production) and oxytocin. Oxytocin is the hormone that triggers the flow or ejection of milk from your breasts when your baby suckles (or you begin pumping). Oxytocin suppresses dopamine, which means your dopamine levels decrease. For reasons researchers don’t completely understand, some people’s dopamine levels drop very quickly and cause a sudden feeling of unhappiness and other negative emotions. This is D-MER. These negative feelings are temporary and subside once your prolactin and oxytocin levels return to normal. Most people report their mood stabilizes again within minutes. It’s important to remember that D-MER is a physical response and not a psychological response. It doesn’t mean you’re depressed or angry at your baby or that you hate breastfeeding. If you think you have D-MER, talking to your healthcare provider, midwife or lactation consultant can help. Advertisement
How is D-MER diagnosed?
There isn’t a ton of research about D-MER, so there isn’t an official way to diagnose it. Your healthcare provider will talk to you about your symptoms, when you feel them and how intense they are. Remember, D-MER only occurs during feedings or pumping sessions and goes away shortly after. Describing your symptoms and when they happen can help your provider understand what’s happening.
How is D-MER treated?
There isn’t a treatment for D-MER because researchers don’t fully understand it yet. Managing your symptoms and finding ways to cope are both options to manage D-MER. Some of the most common techniques for managing symptoms of D-MER are: Increase skin-to-skin contact: If you’re breastfeeding, try bringing your baby closer to your body. This feeling can lower your cortisol levels and decrease your heart rate, almost like a calming effect. Practice meditation or deep breathing: Trying to relax is key. This lowers anxiety and reduces stress. Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Find other ways to relax: Getting a massage, listening to music or soaking in a warm tub just before feedings can help relax you and calm you down. Distract yourself: Eat, watch TV or do other activities during the milk let down as a distraction. Find support: Seek support for D-MER. Whether it’s your partner, a friend or an online support group, find people who’ll listen to you, talk to you and care for you. Advertisement
How long does D-MER last?
It varies. For most people, D-MER resolves within about three months, getting less severe as their child gets older. But there have been cases where a person experiences D-MER until they’re done breastfeeding. Care at Cleveland Clinic Find Your Ob/Gyn Make an Appointment
Can D-MER be prevented?
No, you can’t prevent D-MER. However, it’s important to know that support is available to you and that you didn’t do anything to cause the condition.
Is D-MER a sign of postpartum depression?
No, D-MER isn’t a sign that you have postpartum depression or a postpartum mood disorder. While some of the symptoms overlap, D-MER comes and goes quickly and is specific to when your milk is about to release. However, it’s possible to have both D-MER and a postpartum mood disorder. If negative thoughts and emotions intensify or occur at times other than when you’re nursing or pumping, please speak with your healthcare provider.
How do I take care of myself?
While some people may not understand it, D-MER is a real condition. Fortunately, it’s temporary and there are methods to help you cope. Follow the techniques above to help you manage symptoms of D-MER. Sometimes, just knowing you have a real condition (and others have it, too) can bring you peace. D-MER may make you want to stop breastfeeding. If the condition takes a toll on your mental health and well-being, it may be for the best for both you and your baby to switch to formula. This is OK. Don’t feel ashamed if breastfeeding doesn’t work for you.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
It’s OK to ask for help. If your feelings are intense and you’re struggling to cope, talking to your healthcare provider or a lactation specialist can help. It’s important to have open and honest conversations about how you’re feeling. It may help to write down your feelings and share them with your provider. Please know there is support available to you and you’re not alone. If at any point, you have thoughts of hurting yourself or others, please seek medical attention right away. A note from Cleveland Clinic Not everyone has a positive experience with breastfeeding. If you feel negative emotions like anger or sadness when your milk lets down, you may have D-MER, or dysphoric milk ejection reflex. You’re not alone, you did nothing to cause it and there’s nothing “wrong” with you. Let your healthcare provider know how you feel so they can discuss the best ways to cope with what you’re experiencing. Sometimes, just knowing there’s a name for what you feel can help you feel less alone. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/06/2023. Learn more about our editorial process.
Jan 6, 2016 · It's a phenomenon that's often referred to as "the let-down effect," a pattern in which people come down with an illness or develop flare-ups of a chronic condition not during a...
Sep 29, 2023 · What is a breastfeeding let-down reflex? The let-down reflex, or milk ejection reflex, is a hormonal, automatic chain reaction that happens during breastfeeding (chestfeeding). Here’s what ...
