Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: A Descriptive Study

Ureño, Tamara L; Berry‐Cabán, Cristóbal S.; Adams, Ashley; Buchheit, Toni L; Hopkinson, Susan G

doi:10.1089/bfm.2019.0091

Cited by 29 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…[21] The first described case was published in 2010. [5] This phenomenon is still little known and rarely recognized by medical personnel. [5,22] Medical literature reports that the incidence of D-MER is 9.1%.…”

Section: Description Of the State Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…[5] This phenomenon is still little known and rarely recognized by medical personnel. [5,22] Medical literature reports that the incidence of D-MER is 9.1%. [5] Breastfeeding is one of the most intimate experiences for a woman and creates a strong emotional bond between the mother and her newborn baby.…”

Section: Description Of the State Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This state begins just before milk ejection, lasts a few minutes, and may be repeated with each reflex ejection or only at the beginning of a feeding session. [1,5] D-MER may lead to less frequent breastfeeding or the inability to continue to breastfeed the baby regularly and weaning the baby earlier. [1,6]…”

Section: Introduction and Purposementioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Dysphoric milk ejection reflex as a new diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in lactation care - literature review

Skowrońska

Chmura

Baciur

et al. 2022

J Educ Health Sport

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction and purpose of the work: Breastfeeding has many health benefits. The guidelines recommend breastfeeding up to 6 months of age. Many mothers stop breastfeeding early, one reason being the dysphoric ejection reflex (D-MER). It is a negative emotional reaction related to the ejection of milk. State of knowledge : D-MER has been known to science for a short time. Breastfeeding depends on many psychological factors and is regulated by many hormones, including prolactin, oxytocin, and dopamine. A sudden drop in dopamine levels is believed to be the cause of this phenomenon. The main symptoms include dysphoria, sadness, irritability, anxiety and depression. There are no registered preparations for the treatment of D-MER, psychotherapy and lifestyle changes are helpful. Summary: It is important to disseminate knowledge about D-MER to help mothers understand their breastfeeding processes. More research should be done into the safe treatment of this condition.

show abstract

Section: Description Of the State Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Description Of the State Of Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Dysphoric milk ejection reflex as a new diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in lactation care - literature review

Skowrońska

Chmura

Baciur

et al. 2022

J Educ Health Sport

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In einer retrospektiven Studie gaben 9,1 % [15] der stillenden Mütter (N = 164) in einer Befragung selbst an, negative emotionale Reaktionen beim Milchspendereflex zu haben [12]. Es ist möglich, dass Mütter psychisch auf das Stillen reagieren, aber D-MER ist eine körperlich ausgelöste, psychologische Reaktion.…”

Section: Prävalenzunclassified

D-MER: Die Leere vor der Milch

Gresens¹

2021

Die Hebamme

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Such feelings may put a mother under psychological pressure and impact her sense of self which may have implications on her relationship with her infant ( 8 ). As an underresearched area, the first and only study examining the epidemiology of D-MER was published in 2019 suggesting a prevalence of 9.1% ( 9 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: The Psychoneurobiology of the Breastfeeding Experience

Deif

Burch

Azar

et al. 2021

Front. Glob. Womens Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Breastfeeding, given its biochemical and physiological basis, is known for its many benefits for both the lactating mother and the infant. Among the many challenges new breastfeeding mothers experience is the feeling of aversion in response to their newborn's suckling which has been termed dysphoric milk-ejection reflex (D-MER). Characterized by intense feelings of dysphoria which may eventually interfere with the mother's ability to breastfeed regularly, evidence suggests both the neurobiological and psychological basis of D-MER in an attempt to explain its complexity. Biologically, breastfeeding is expressed by the intracerebral release of oxytocin, an increased expression of oxytocin receptors in specific brain regions, increased mesocorticolimbic reward region activation, the secretion of prolactin and possibly the inhibition of dopamine. Hence, different theories explain D-MER in terms of disrupted neurotransmitter and hormonal activity. Breastfeeding has also proven to influence mood and stress reactivity in nursing mothers with a potential link with postpartum depression. Psychological theories attempt to explain D-MER from a sociopsychosexual lense shedding light on the significance of mother-infant attachment, the sexualization of the female body and the motherhood experience as a developmental stage in a woman's lifespan. The aim of this review is to provide a literature update of D-MER incorporating both neurobiological and psychological theories calling for raising awareness about the complexity of breastfeeding and for the need for mother-centered interventions for the management of D-MER and other postpartum-specific conditions.

show abstract

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: A Descriptive Study

Cited by 29 publications

References 4 publications

Dysphoric milk ejection reflex as a new diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in lactation care - literature review

Dysphoric milk ejection reflex as a new diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in lactation care - literature review

D-MER: Die Leere vor der Milch

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex: The Psychoneurobiology of the Breastfeeding Experience

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About