The Real Meaning Behind Dreams about Breastfeeding
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Although scientists have been studying dreams for decades, there’s still a lot we don’t know about dreaming. Dreams are often based on the experiences you’ve had during the day, something Freud called the day residue. But why did your sleeping brain focus on breastfeeding?
If you’re pregnant or are a new mother, having dreams about breastfeeding can be common. Pregnant women and new mothers often tend to have dreams that contain representations or symbolism relating to maternity and pregnancy, such as breastfeeding.
However, if you aren’t pregnant or a new mother, dreaming about breastfeeding can bring about mixed and feelings emotions. Breastfeeding connects to maternal instincts, and also to one’s inner peace. In general, breastfeeding dreams can be a sign that the dreamer needs love, kindness, nurturance, and tenderness in their life.
Typical Symbolism Associated with Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding dreams are inextricably linked to closeness, bonding, sharing, and deep emotional attachment. It’s not uncommon for dreams to prepare us for things to come and dreams about breastfeeding definitely fall into this category.
If your breastfeeding dream is recurring, it may well reflect your own nurturing instincts. This will be especially true if you’re looking to have or already do have children.
- Emotions During the Dream
If a dream about breastfeeding disgusted you, it could indicate that your life suffers from a lack of spirituality. However, if you were overjoyed at the experience, it may mean that you’re coming into a new phase and connecting with your spiritual self.
- Breastfeeding a Baby
To dream of breastfeeding a baby can indicate your desire to nurture others spiritually. However, this depends on how you felt about the breastfeeding and what the baby did in the dream.
For instance, if the baby cries for milk, it could suggest that you crave attention and desire for sustenance. It can also mean that you believe you aren’t living up to your own expectations. To see yourself give birth followed by breastfeeding could indicate that you love and care about yourself as well as others around you.
- Feeding Multiple Babies
Breastfeeding multiple babies in a dream can represent good health and luck. If you have a serious illness and you dream of breastfeeding multiple babies, it reflects your desire to get well. It can also represent your fear of not recovering.
- The Baby’s Gender
If you dream of breastfeeding a baby, it’s important to pay attention to the gender of the baby. If it’s a girl, it could indicate your desire to have a child of your own. If the baby is a boy, however, it signifies that you welcome and accept changes in your life.
To dream of breastfeeding a baby boy suggests that you may be open to new experiences, but it could also be a sign that it’s time to explore the world and examine certain areas in your life that you can improve on.
- The Baby Isn’t Yours
If the baby you’re breastfeeding in the dream isn’t yours it can represent your concern about a certain family member or someone who is close to you. You may be worried about this person and feel as though you’re obligated to protect them.
The dream could also be a message from your subconscious mind that someone important to you is deceiving you. You may be unaware of this, or your conscious mind could be choosing to ignore the signals.
Dreaming of breastfeeding someone else’s baby could also signify responsibilities in your waking life. These could be responsibilities that you’re uncomfortable with taking on. The dream could also mean that you’re embarking on a journey that will define your career.
- Watching Someone Breastfeeding
To see someone else breastfeeding implies that you have a desire to protect others. It could also reflect your sense of insecurity. Your subconscious mind could be giving you a warning sign to be careful, especially with others. On the other hand, the dream could represent your fertility.
The person’s gender is also important to take into consideration when interpreting this dream. If you see a female breastfeeding, it could indicate love or sensuality. However, seeing a man breastfeeding can indicate a deep inner maternal instinct. This is quite a rare scenario, however.
- Seeing Someone Breastfeed Your Real Child
If you dream of someone else breastfeeding your real-life child, the meaning of the dream can depend on who the person was and how you felt about what you saw. If the person was someone you’re close with and you were happy about the incident, it could indicate good health and wellbeing.
If the person is a stranger, it may denote a strong connection with someone you’ve recently met. However, if you know the person but the dream upset you, it could mean that you have concerns about your children or that you’re having trouble trusting someone in your waking life. The interpretation of the dream can depend on your reaction and how the person responded.
For example, if they acted aloof or didn’t care about your feelings, it could be a warning that this person doesn’t care about you or your needs. However, if they responded with kindness and understanding, it’s a sign that this person cares about you very much.
- Dreaming of Problems with Breastfeeding
If you had a dream of breastfeeding and found yourself unable to do so correctly, it could indicate that you’re having trouble bonding with someone in your waking life. Additionally, it could be related to a project of some sort or indicate a lack of spirituality. This dream could also be a sign that you’re currently experiencing some emotional or physical problems.
To dream of being unable to feed your baby suggests that you may feeling as though something valuable is slipping away from you. It could be money, food, or even your health. It could also be something related to a close family member or a friend. If you see your baby starving as a result, it could indicate that you may be dependent on others to the point where you may be finding it difficult to survive on your own.
If this seems to be the case in your waking life, you may want to take a step back and think about the various aspects of your life that you may need to work on.
If you dream about trying to breastfeed with cracked nipples or the baby latching poorly, it can indicate a reluctance to face problems. If the baby won’t latch at all, it suggests conflict and trouble.
If you suddenly stop in the middle of breastfeeding your baby, it could be a sign that your financial resources are at their limit. You may want to take extra care with your expenses, or you might find yourself in trouble down the line.
If your baby is hungry but you have no desire to breastfeed in the dream, it could mean you’re about to go through a major change in your waking life or you may lose a good opportunity.
To dream of a baby vomiting after breastfeeding could signify a reversal of current sources of income you may rely on. It could suggest that you may need to re-strategize your financial situation in order to survive.
Nightmares about Breastfeeding
Pregnant women also experience more nightmares than women who aren’t pregnant. These nightmares are related to stress experienced during the daytime. As pregnancy can be a stressful time for some women, it’s natural that disturbed sleep is common during this time.
Nightmares about breastfeeding are a common theme for women who are pregnant or have recently given birth. Having a nightmare about breastfeeding could indicate that you may have external dependencies that could be ruining your happiness and peace. For example, you may have a nasty habit that you find hard to break, an addiction, or a toxic relationship with someone. You may also be feeling as though something is out of your control.
A nightmare about breastfeeding could also be connected to certain traumas you may have had in the past.
- If You’re Pregnant, Have Children and/or Are Married
Dreams about breastfeeding in general can denote peace and wellbeing. It can also indicate that you and your partner are in a happy marriage.
- If You Aren’t Married & Don’t Have Children
If you’re not married and don’t have any children, breastfeeding dreams could have several different meanings. It could mean that you wish to have a child desperately. On the other hand, it may not have any connection to babies. Instead, it could signify that wedding bells may soon begin to ring.
The dream could also denote a change in your current circumstances, individual desires, ambitions and goals. Dreaming of breastfeeding a baby when you don’t actually have children could also mean that you’re about to enter a period of rest and calm in your waking life. If you dream of having problems breastfeeding, it may mean that something is bothering you but you’re having trouble identifying the problem.
- The Gender of the Dreamer
The dreamer’s gender can also have an impact on the meaning of the dream. For instance, when a female sees a dream about breastfeeding, it can represent intimate and harmonious marital relationships. If the dreamer is single, breastfeeding denotes happiness or that they will soon find a new lover.
When a man dreams about breastfeeding, it could indicate their desire to have others recognize their good deeds. This is especially true if they’re married in real life. It can also indicate that the dreamer is dealing with certain problems in their marriage.
In Brief
To see a dream about breastfeeding can be one of the strangest experiences you’ve ever had or one of the most enriching. Understanding and interpreting the dream as clearly as possible can help you to identify and change anything that might be going wrong in your waking life and it can also help you to make certain changes or decisions.
