DMER is a spectrum. Some women may experience rage while others become anxious or despondent. Experiences of DMER also appear to differ both in their severity and duration. For some, DMER is mild and resolves in a few weeks. For others, symptoms can last for more than a year.
Although there was a documented case study of DMER in 2010, and a recently published case series (a descriptive study of a group of patients with a particular condition), no research on the mechanism of the condition has been undertaken – as a result, it is poorly understood.
Supporting women
DMER is not the same as “nursing aversion” (a feeling of irritability often accompanied by itchy skin while the infant is latched on to the breast), postnatal depression or anxiety, though these conditions may co-exist. Because DMER is not well known among healthcare professionals, there is a danger that some women may be misdiagnosed with mental health problems.
In some cases, the intensity of DMER can be severe enough to stop women from breastfeeding. Heise is keen to stress that just knowing about it and being able to talk to someone who understands, can make it easier to cope. There are a growing number of forums and websites where women can seek support and discuss their experiences, and the body of research on DMER, though small, is growing.
Lisa’s symptoms were mild enough that they resolved in a few months. She is still breastfeeding and is stoic about her experience. Would she breastfeed again? She answers unequivocally: “Absolutely.” Does she wish she had known about DMER before she got pregnant? “Well, of course.”
Charlie Middleton, Lecturer in Nursing, University of Dundee
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
