breastfeeding - MGH Center for Women's Mental Health

New Baby 101: Practical Intervention Strategy Reduces the Risk of Postpartum Depression

An intervention teaching new parents about normal infant sleeping and crying patterns and providing them with techniques for infant settling improves mothers' depression scores. There were no differences in scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 4 months, but at 6 months, caregivers in the intervention group were almost half as likely to score higher than 9 on the EPDS, with 7.9% scoring higher than 9 in the intervention group vs. 12.9% in the control cohort (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.57).

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-07T14:53:22-04:00January 13th, 2014|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevention, Psychotherapy|Comments Off

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression: What’s the Connection?

In our clinic, we often see women who come in for the treatment of depression and/or anxiety after the cessation of breastfeeding. Many question if breastfeeding may protect against postpartum depression and if the cessation of breastfeeding is a trigger for postpartum depression and/or anxiety. However, the research examining the association between postpartum depression and breastfeeding has been somewhat difficult to interpret.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2018-07-11T10:29:07-04:00December 10th, 2012|Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Risk Factors for Postpartum Smoking Relapse

A high proportion (47%–63%) of women who quit smoking during pregnancy relapse during the postpartum period. Being able to identify those women at highest risk for relapse may help to devise strategies for preventing relapse.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-12T10:52:21-04:00October 14th, 2012|Nicotine, Perinatal Substance Use, Prevalence & Risk Factors|Comments Off

Breastfeeding and Benzodiazepines: Good News

Clinically significant anxiety symptoms are common during the postpartum period and frequently complicate the treatment of postpartum depression. While SSRIs are indicted for the treatment anxiety symptoms, especially when they co-occur with depression, many women may need to use a benzodiazepine for managing more severe symptoms of anxiety or insomnia.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-12-11T09:41:05-04:00April 30th, 2012|Anti-Anxiety Medications, Breastfeeding & Medications, Outcomes|Comments Off

Methadone and Breastfeeding

Up until 2001, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that methadone was compatible with breastfeeding in women taking less than 20 mg per day. Because most women on methadone maintenance therapy typically require 50 to 15o mg of methadone per day during pregnancy, this meant that most women on methadone were not able to breastfeed. However, the dose restriction for methadone was eliminated in 2001, a decision driven by several studies indicating that the levels of methadone secreted into human breast milk were relatively low.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2017-05-05T18:31:03-04:00March 21st, 2011|Breastfeeding & Medications, Opioids, Perinatal Substance Use|Comments Off

Antiepileptic Drugs in Breastfeeding: Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Because breastfeeding has many psychological and medical benefits for both the mother and her child, many women would like to breastfeed. However, all medications taken by the mother are secreted into the breast milk. While various studies have addressed the safety of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in nursing infants, none have systematically assessed the long-term effects of exposure to these drugs on the cognitive development of children exposed to these agents through breastfeeding. This is an especially important issue as it has been demonstrated that certain AEDs, most notably valproic acid, may negatively affect the developing brain, a process which occurs in utero and into the first few decades of the child’s life.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-06-26T09:08:17-04:00January 24th, 2011|Anti-Epileptic Drugs, Breastfeeding & Medications, Child Outcomes, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Outcomes|Comments Off

SSRI Use Associated with Reduced Intention to Breastfeed

Given the potential health benefits of breastfeeding on both mother and baby, the U.S. Public Health Service for Healthy People 2010 set a goal to have 75% of mothers breastfeed in the early postpartum period and 50% of mothers to continue breastfeeding to 6 months by the year 2010 (US Dept of Health and Human Services 2000). Groups of women who are less likely to breastfeed have been targeted in this effort.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2015-08-13T11:37:06-04:00October 26th, 2010|Antidepressants, Breastfeeding & Medications, Outcomes, Postpartum Psychiatric Disorders|Comments Off

Lithium and Breastfeeding

Bipolar disorder (types I and II) affect up to 5% of the population in the United States. As the onset of this condition typically occurs during or before the reproductive years, the management of bipolar disorder in women is often complicated by pregnancy. There are concerns regarding fetal exposure to medication, the impact of untreated maternal illness, and data demonstrating that women are at increased risk for relapse during the postpartum period.

By MGH Center for Women's Mental Health|2016-03-28T13:23:57-04:00May 12th, 2010|Breastfeeding & Medications, Mood Stabilizers, Outcomes|Comments Off

What’s Safer for Breastfeeding: Lithium or Lamotrigine?

After last week’s post, we received several comments regarding the use of mood stabilizers in breastfeeding women, specifically asking which is safer: lithium or lamotrigine.

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-06-26T09:07:09-04:00May 4th, 2010|Anti-Epileptic Drugs, Breastfeeding & Medications, Mood Stabilizers, Outcomes|Comments Off

Lamotrigine and Breastfeeding: An Update

Women with bipolar disorder are vulnerable to postpartum illness, and it is generally recommended that mothers continue treatment with a mood stabilizer throughout the postpartum period to reduce their risk of relapse; however, this recommendation is complicated by the all mood stabilizers are secreted into the breast milk, although their concentrations appear to vary considerably (Chaudron and Jefferson, 2000).

By Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD|2025-06-26T09:07:10-04:00April 27th, 2010|Anti-Epileptic Drugs, Breastfeeding & Medications, Mood Stabilizers, Outcomes|Comments Off