Lack of sleep continues
The stitches have healed, the lochia has stopped, you’ve figured out breastfeeding for the most part. So everything is peachy, right? No, even as some things have become more routine, many mothers feel weak and broken around month two. There’s a reason for this: the stress and lack of sleep of the last two months have accumulated.
Many women in developed countries even stop breastfeeding at this time, simply because they no longer have the strength. Research from the UK [1] has shown that almost 100% of women continue to breastfeed their babies if they have extensive support: a partner, grandmothers, friends, and good health care. But only half remain in the ranks if they receive support from family and friends, but cannot count on professional help from doctors, psychologists and breastfeeding consultants. And only 13% of women continue to breastfeed after two months, if they have no one to rely on except a partner or a grandmother (usually on the maternal side) [1, 2].
Many moms choose to stop breastfeeding because they consider it stressful [3], but the transition to bottle feeding can be just as stressful and can lead to the development of postpartum depression [4].
The solution: You don't have to take all the responsibility on yourself. Your abilities now depend on your environment. It’s time to delegate any tasks other than feeding to relatives, friends, colleagues, and if you are able, hired help. Perhaps you need more than just time for yourself, perhaps you need to seek therapy to help sort out your many emotions as you start on your motherhood journey [4].
For moms who can not access support they need, for whatever reason, remember your choices to take care of yourself and your baby are incredibly important. If you need to stop breastfeeding in order to find more time for self-care, there is no shame in that.
