# breastfeeding and IBS-D



## Katy252 (Jul 15, 2001)

The last time I quit breastfeeding I was a couple months pregnant and I had a terrible flare up of IBS. I learned on here and from the GI that the change in hormones can bring on a bad flare up. I am wondering if a baby reducing breastfeeding could caues IBS symptoms? My baby (just turned 1) hasn't been nursing as much the last couple months, I'd say he is nursing a 1/4 of the time as normal. I have been having more IBS problems in that time. I wonder if I just got him to completely quit if I'd be better, and be able to get things stabilized. I am wondering what experiences others have had. BTW, it was during that flare up I had while quitting breastfeeding the last time that I found this board and calcium. So something good came out of it! Thanks for any thoughts.


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## susaloh (Dec 28, 2002)

Hi Katy,One question: have you got your normal menstrual cycle back? I think during breastfeeding you're likely not to ovulate - I remember vaguely being warned about not taking this as 100% guarantee not to get pregnant! Anyway, when you reduce breastfeeding, this signals to your body that now you're ready to get pregnant again (in theory!!!) and your hormones start going back to normal. I remember when I stopped breastfeeding my son, I suffered of sleeplessness for two weeks - I thought I was going nuts at the time, but now I recognise this in my monthly PMS as an imbalance of hormones. So, I guess, theoretically, if you speed up the wheaning process this might speed up the process of your hormones normalizing, but this must not necessarily be the case. With my second child the wheaning went on for almost 5 months, she went off the breast three times and came back to it because of sickness which was quite an extraordinary experience and I don't remember any hormonal side effects. But that time, my period had come back much earlier while I was still breastfeeding her perhaps 3/4. That's why I was asking whether you had your period back. Susaloh


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## Katy252 (Jul 15, 2001)

Thanks for your response- I haven't gotten my period yet. So I guess he hasn't gotten down to few enough feedings to kick my period in. I should add that he is down to only one side.







The one side seemed to dry up a few months ago and he quit nursing on that side. So I wondered if that could partly cause hormone upheaval.


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