Lactational headache: a lactation consultant's diary.

There are few references to lactational cephalalgia (headache) in the literature, and these few such headaches are attributed to oxytocin surges associated with the milk-ejection reflex. The case described here differs, in that the apparent trigger was overfulness, rather than an oxytocin surge, that occurred when the infant began sleeping through the night or after a missed, delayed, or partial feed. Headaches were relieved by putting the baby to the breast and the resultant milk-ejection reflex. This case study describes maternal coping strategies from 5 months postpartum until weaning was completed at 12 months.