Post-Weaning Depression: Mood Changes After You Stop Breastfeeding

If you’re thinking about harming yourself or your baby, or you’re in crisis, call or text 988 now. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.

You might expect to feel relieved when breastfeeding ends, and maybe you do. But some people feel unexpectedly low, anxious, teary or flat in the weeks after they stop. If that’s you, you’re not imagining it, and you don’t have to wait it out alone.

This guide explains what “post-weaning depression” means, what research does and doesn’t show, the symptoms to take seriously and where to get help. It’s general information, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling.

What is post-weaning depression?

Post-weaning depression is the term used for depression, anxiety or other mood symptoms that start or get worse after breastfeeding ends. It has been described in medical journals for decades. A 2024 review by Sharma and Wood calls it a rare but severe complication of stopping breastfeeding, and describes it as understudied and often missed.

It’s important to be honest about how little is known:

• The research is very limited. A 2025 scoping review by Poschauko and colleagues (published as a conference abstract) found only four studies on post-weaning depression, and the studies in that review were mostly case reports, case series and cross-sectional surveys. The authors write that the number of studies on breastfeeding-associated depressive moods is very limited.
• Nobody knows how common it is. There are no reliable numbers on how many people are affected.
• The cause isn’t proven. You may read that falling hormone levels after weaning are to blame. That’s a theory, and it hasn’t been properly tested.

What this means for you: the lack of research doesn’t mean your feelings aren’t real. It means you deserve the same care as anyone with depression or anxiety, whatever the cause.

Normal mixed feelings vs. depression

Weaning can bring a whole range of emotions. Relief, pride, sadness, guilt and a sense of loss can all show up, sometimes on the same day. Feeling a bit wistful as a chapter closes is common and usually eases with time.

Depression is different. The NIMH and HRSA list these common signs of depression and anxiety around pregnancy and the postpartum period:

• Feeling sad, hopeless or empty most of the time
• Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
• Constant worry, anxiety or feeling nervous
• Unexplained irritability or anger
• Trouble concentrating or coping with daily tasks
• Sleeping or eating much more or less than usual
• Feeling guilty, worthless or that you’re not a good mother
• Unwanted or intrusive thoughts
• Thoughts of death, of hurting yourself or of hurting your baby

For new mothers, the NIMH says mood changes that are severe or last longer than two weeks may signal postpartum depression, which usually doesn’t improve without treatment. We think the same two-week rule of thumb is a sensible point to reach out after weaning too. That’s our suggestion, not a tested rule. If symptoms are severe, don’t wait two weeks.

Who might be more at risk?

The 2025 scoping review found that the studies it included pointed to a history of mental illness and a family history of mental illness as risk factors for post-weaning depression. With so few studies, that list is far from complete. If you’ve had depression or anxiety before, including after the birth, it’s worth planning ahead with your doctor before you wean.

Is it post-weaning depression or postpartum depression?

They can overlap. The NIMH describes perinatal depression as a mood disorder that occurs during pregnancy and after childbirth, and notes most episodes begin within 4 to 8 weeks after the baby is born. If you wean during that time, it can be hard to tell what’s driving your mood, and it doesn’t really matter for getting help. Both deserve attention.

Pediatricians can be a good first stop. The AAP recommends that pediatricians screen new mothers for postpartum depression at the baby’s 1-, 2-, 4- and 6-month well-child visits, usually with a short questionnaire called the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale. If you wean after your baby’s 6-month visit, those routine screenings may already be over, so you may need to bring it up yourself with your own doctor, OB-GYN or midwife.

If you’re experiencing waves of sadness or dread only during let-down, rather than after weaning, read our guide to D-MER, which is a different experience.

What helps

Talk to a professional

The NIMH lists psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy, and antidepressant medication as effective treatments for perinatal depression. Antidepressants often take 4 to 8 weeks to work. In the post-weaning studies included in the 2025 scoping review, treatment consisted only of antidepressants, but the review didn’t assess how well treatments worked, so there’s no specific evidence yet on the best treatment after weaning.

HealthyChildren.org (AAP) also describes peer support, such as support groups, and sleep as important parts of treatment for postpartum depression.

If you haven’t fully weaned yet

There’s no research showing that weaning slowly prevents mood changes. Still, there are good reasons to go gradually. The AAP suggests that the number and length of breastfeeding sessions ideally taper off over weeks or even months, which also helps reduce breast engorgement and resistance from your child. Our step-by-step guide on how to stop breastfeeding explains how to drop one feed at a time, and our night weaning guide covers the last feeds that are often hardest to give up.

If your breasts become uncomfortably full as you stop, our guide on how to dry up breast milk has practical tips.

Be kind to yourself

• Tell someone you trust how you’re feeling.
• Protect your sleep where you can, and accept help with night wakings.
• Find new ways to be close to your child: cuddles, baths, reading and skin-to-skin time all still count.
• Let go of any guilt about stopping. HealthyChildren.org (AAP) says that if breastfeeding is contributing to depression symptoms, a mother shouldn’t feel guilty about choosing another way to feed.

For more on the emotional side of ending breastfeeding, see our weaning guide.

Where to get help right now

What you need	Who to contact
Someone to talk to, any time	National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). Free, confidential, 24/7, English and Spanish, with interpreters for 60 other languages
Suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis	988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org. Free, confidential, 24/7
Immediate danger to you or someone else	Call 911
Ongoing care	Your doctor, OB-GYN, midwife or a mental health professional

HRSA notes that the maternal mental health hotline is not a crisis line. If you’re in suicidal crisis, use 988. HRSA describes the hotline as support for moms and their families.

The NIMH also warns that postpartum psychosis, which can cause hallucinations, delusions, mania, paranoia or confusion, is a psychiatric emergency. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

When to call your doctor

Call your doctor or midwife if:

• Low mood, anxiety or irritability lasts more than two weeks or keeps getting worse
• You can’t sleep even when you have the chance, or you’re sleeping far more than usual
• You’re struggling to look after yourself or your child
• You’ve had depression before and feel it coming back

You can find more support options, including lactation and peer support, on our breastfeeding support page.