Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER)

I have FINALLY found what it is that I am suffering from!

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.

The negative emotions, or dysphoria, that a mother with D-MER experiences often manifest "in the mother's stomach" - a hollow feeling, a feeling like there is something in the pit of the stomach, or an emotional churning in the stomach. Mothers report varying types of emotions with D-MER ranging from dread to anxiety to anger, these emotions fall on the D-MER spectrum which has three different levels. The common thread between these levels, is the wave of negative emotions or dysphoria, prior to letdown, when nursing, expressing and with spontaneous letdowns, that then lifts within another 30-90 seconds, and then usually repeats with each letdown.

A key piece of D-MER is that a mother with D-MER feels absolutely fine except just before her milk starts to flow. D-MER is a brief feeling, not more than 30 seconds to 2 minutes, only and always beginning before let-down. This is not postpartum depression and most of these mothers feel perfectly fine except for that pre-milk moment. A brief interval after the negative feelings appear, the milk begins to flow.

D-MER can easily go unrecognized since 1) some mothers have so many closely spaced letdowns per feeding that the feelings do not have a chance to dissipate before the next D-MER is upon her, making her feel that she experiences on long D-MER through most of, if not all of, the feeding 2) many mothers do not physically feel a letdown in their breasts and so does not connect the feeling as to being just prior to letdown and 3) given the fact that D-MER happens with spontaneous letdowns as well, a mother may not immediately connect the way she is feeling to being a breastfeeding phenomenon.

100% exactly what I have.   Horrible, but good to find out why the bloody hell I feel like this sometimes.    For me it's a feeling of dread/sadness/anguish and like I'm a horrible/disgusting/immoral person who doesn't deserve love or happiness.   And it only last for a minute or less!

Please tell me there are others??!

As I said in the other thread - I used to get this too. Never thought to look it up as I thought it was just me! Never thought it would be an actual condition that lots of women get - I've never heard of it before. Luckily I don't get it very often anymore. I really feel for those that get it the whole time they are breastfeeding!

I was glad to read this sentence on the website:

"Simply put: D-MER is physiological, not psychological. It is hormones, not past experience or repressed memories, that cause it."

OMG I thought it was just me... I have never understood how people love breastfeeding.

I get a wave on anger and disgust that really does only last a minute or 2 but it made me dread feeding.. I sucked it up and got on with it but its nice to know I am not a freak.

Thanks for that nee!