Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Getting started and Excited

Renee,
It is totally normal for one breast to be larger than the other, I think in most women, the left is larger. But, just because it is larger does not necessarily mean more milk in that breast. My left is almost 2x the size of my right, and when I was pumping last August and September, I always got more milk out of the right, or my smaller one. Also, it is totallly up to you if you want to get blood drawn,,I never did. I would ask Lenore when the best time is to have it drawn.

Take care,
Cathy

Take care,
Cathy

Hi Ladies,

Would it surprise you to know that most women have one breast larger than the other? That one breast tends to produce more milk than the other? It's all perfectly normal.

Fatigue is an expected side effect of the protocols and is an indication of rising prolacin levels. Taking a nap is a great solution. Coffee is ok too, until you start breastfeeding, then you'll need to limit your caffeine to two cups of coffee per day.

For blood tests we usually recommend baseline tests before beginning the protocols for prolactin, estrogen, and progesterone. At this point you might want to check your levels now, and then monthly.

Hope this helps. fondly,

I feel like I'm losing the breast changes that I felt in the first month of the protocol - Am I just getting accustomed to the changes, I mean - is the swelling and the soreness due to growing pains that are meant to go away? Should I expect more changes as the protocol continues?

ALSO - I started bleeding about 8 days ago - I wasn't too concerned because i had read about break-through bleeding on the protocols - but I was only releasing an amount that barely filled a pantiliner - as of today - I think i'm going to have to switch to a light tampon. I know Lenore stated that she bled 5 months during her first time on the protocol - by "bled" - do you mean you were essentially ON your period for 5 months??? Does the flow get heavier and lighter? I've been sick with the flu this past week - would a decreased immune system have anything to do with the increase in flow? (I'm not on any antibiotics).

Finally - I have not had any decrease in libido as yet - but bleeding for 5 months will truly put a damper on things to say the least - I can see how sex can take a back seat to Aunt Flo - especially if her visit turns into an extended stay!!

Renee

I should also add - that as I was reading everyone's post of expressing drops after 23 days etc. - I HAD to check and see - so I was able, with less than a minute of hand expression, to produce clear drops from BOTH breasts. As soon as I saw the moisture - I stopped the manipulation - would this have triggered anything?

Mentally - It felt good to see the drops - I'm not sure if this is an adequate indicator for the type of response I am having or not - I just hope that I didn't mess anything up by trying to express while on the protocol <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />

Renee

Renee,
I am glad to see you have drops after so soon,,,no you did not mess anything up by hand expressing the one time. Try not to do it oo often, your breast tissue needs to develop without oxytocin/let down,,,etc... take care, Cathy

Does anyone have any experience or advice to give regarding the break-through bleeding? I feel like I have been on my period for 2 weeks already!! Is there any sign of letting up? Should I go out and by the economy packs of tampons and pantiliners? I haven't had any psychological side efffects YET - but the thought of 5 months of a period surely makes the mood shift and not wanting to have sex a definite possibility!

Thanks,

Hello,
I had absolutely no bleeding/period/spotting the whole entire time, in fact I was even a little worried cuz so many people had bleeding and I did not have one drop. If you are bleeding really heavy for more than a few days, I would e-mail Lenore.
Some women do spot or have light bleeding the entire time on the meds. I know it must be a pain. Make sure you are taking vitamins with iron. Take care, Cathy

I guess things are going okay - the "heavy "bleeding I had around day 50 seemed to stop - I have sporadic breakthrough spotting on occasion. My pill box is full - 8 dom pills, 1- bcp, 1-baby aspirin, 1- Calcium, and 1-Centrum vitamin.

Due to a recent running injury - My doc put me on Celebrex. He said it shouldn't interfere with the protocol - but the label said specifically to NOT take celebrex while breast feeding. What do the experts think?

BTW - My husband and I received our approval from the agency yesterday. <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> Now comes the hurry-up and wait part of the adoption process. <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" />