Navigating Breastfeeding and Eating Disorders: Support for Expectant & New Moms
Does breastfeeding generally help or impede recovery for people with eating disorders? The degree to which it helps or impedes recovery is dependent on many factors, including their use of symptoms, weight stability, and overall emotional health, both pre-pregnancy and postpartum. One study found that the severity of eating disordered symptoms postpartum was worse than pre-pregnancy for 57% of bulimic patients (Morgan, Lacey, & Segwick, 1999). Eating disordered behaviors tend to spike during times of …