Why do I get headaches when I nurse?

QUESTION: When nursing, I get a terrible headache. I don't have it, and then as soon as he starts sucking, I can feel it building up. He latches on right away, there is no stress. What could be causing this?

Thanks.

Dear Eileen,

There is a rare condition called lactation headache which is thought to be caused by the hormone oxytocin that makes the milk flow. Oxytocin also is present during sexual intercourse and some women also get headaches during orgasm, that is called orgasmic cephalalgia.

I am reporting this information from Breastfeeding, A Guide for the Medical Profession by Ruth Lawrence, MD, page 532, 4th edition. She says that your pulse and blood pressure should be tested while nursing or when you get the headache to see if they are involved. She says some in some cases the headache subsides while nursing, after the surge of oxytocin has slowed down. Other normal headache treatments can be tried to see if anything helps. If not, then it may be lactation headache. It will go away when you stop nursing. Have you had any other troubles with headache before this?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Elaine Matheny, BS, IBCLC, LLL Leader

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