10/08/2025
This is so real and can be scary to experience when you don’t know how to put the feeling into words!
Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER) is a condition that affects some breastfeeding mothers, characterized by negative emotions that occur just before or during milk letdown. Unlike postpartum depression or anxiety, D-MER is specifically linked to the physiological process of milk release. Understanding D-MER is important for providing support and effective management for affected mothers.
D-MER is a sudden and brief wave of negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, irritability, or even a sense of dread, that occurs just before the milk ejection reflex. These feelings typically last only a few minutes and resolve once milk flow begins
Symptoms of D-MER vary in intensity and nature but are generally negative and unpleasant. They can include:
- Sadness or Despair
- Anxiety or Panic
- Irritability or Anger
- Dread or Guilt
- Emotional Numbness
-Homesickness
D-MER is distinct from other emotional or psychological conditions like postpartum depression (PPD) or postpartum anxiety (PPA):
- Timing: D-MER is closely linked to the act of breastfeeding and the letdown reflex, whereas PPD and PPA are more constant and pervasive
- Duration: The negative emotions in D-MER are short-lived, lasting only a few minutes during milk letdown
- Specificity: D-MER symptoms are specifically triggered by breastfeeding, not by other activities or events
