September 23, 2025

Are Women More Vulnerable to Depression After Weaning?

Breastfeeding & Medications

Weaning can be an emotionally charged transition, and for some women it may trigger depression. However, research on post-weaning depression is relatively sparse.

Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD

This is a question that comes up frequently: Are women more vulnerable to depression after weaning or the cessation of breastfeeding? Many have observed a link between weaning and the onset of depression, often hypothesizing that the hormonal changes occurring during this transition may trigger mood symptoms. However, the research supporting this association has not been particularly robust.

As we discussed in a blog post in August, the relationship between breastfeeding and depression is complicated. Weaning is similarly complex. It is not just something that happens; it is a process or event infused with meaning. Because breastfeeding is so strongly tied to maternal identity and a sense of competence, weaning is, at the very least, a significant transition and, for some women, can be experienced as a traumatic event or profound loss.

It is also important to understand the context. What were the circumstances surrounding weaning? There are many, and often very personal, reasons why breastfeeding may be discontinued, and these specific circumstances are likely to shape a mother’s vulnerability to depression.

For example, if a woman is forced to stop breastfeeding because her baby is ill or because breastfeeding is not going well, the experience is far from neutral and may be accompanied by feelings of guilt, shame, or grief. Similarly, many women wean when they are preparing to return to work. The stress of this transition, coupled with the emotions tied to breastfeeding and weaning, may increase risk for depression.

What’s the Evidence?

In a recent article, Sharma and Vinod (2024) summarize the sparse literature, concluding that post-weaning depression appears to be uncommon but can present as a severe complication in some cases.

Case reports / clinical case series: There are multiple case reports describing onset or worsening of psychiatric symptoms, including depression and mixed affective states, a few days or, more commonly, 2 to 4 weeks after the cessation of breastfeeding.

Cohort studies: Large longitudinal cohorts have identified associations between early or unplanned breastfeeding cessation and increased symptoms of depression and/or anxiety.

Borra, Iacovou & Sevilla (2015) found that early cessation was associated with higher risk of postpartum depression, with the highest risk observed among women who had intended to breastfeed but were unable to sustain it.
Ystrom (2012) reported that women who stopped breastfeeding earlier than planned had higher anxiety and depressive symptoms at six months postpartum. BioMed Central

Qualitative studies: Interviews and surveys consistently report emotional distress, grief, and feelings of failure after weaning — even when the decision was voluntary. These studies highlight the psychological meaning of breastfeeding and the importance of how the weaning process is experienced and supported.

Clinical Implications

The exact prevalence of post-weaning depression is unknown. Clinically, we do encounter women whose depressive symptoms begin or worsen after weaning; often, however, other contributors (returning to work, unresolved breastfeeding difficulties, and other psychosocial stressors) may be present as well.

Whether depression appears immediately after birth or later in the postpartum year, it should be taken seriously and treated. The DSM-5 “peripartum onset” specifier defines onset of psychiatric illness within four weeks of delivery; however, that window is widely considered as being too narrow. Epidemiologic studies recognize that women experience a heightened risk for depression across the first 12 months after childbirth. Clinicians should therefore inform women that vulnerability to postpartum mood disorders extends well beyond the first month and that symptoms arising around the time of weaning merit assessment.

For treatment, standard approaches to postpartum depression apply. Psychotherapy (for example, cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy) is indicated for mild to moderate symptoms, while antidepressant medication is appropriate for more severe depression or when suicidality is present.

Weaning can be an emotionally charged and sometimes destabilizing transition. Large cohort studies and qualitative research support an association between early or unplanned cessation and increased vulnerability to depressive symptoms for some women, and case reports document rare but severe presentations emerging after weaning. Clinicians should acknowledge weaning as a possible trigger for mood symptoms, screen and follow women across the first postpartum year, and treat weaning-associated depression according to standard perinatal mental-health guidelines.

Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD