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

Hello,
I only had noticed some veins popping out and darkened aerola while on the Diane 35. On the Yasmin, my aerola turned back to pink and I have to strain my eyes to see a vein or two and I have been on the meds over six months.
Take care, Cathy

Hi Cathy,

Switching to Necon or Ortho 1/35 at this point and adding 1/2 a provera 2.5 is probably a good idea...just to make sure you maximize your breast response.

I would also suggest the low carb approach. You can find a lot of Atkins products to satisfy your cravings...chocolate bars with 2 carbs and you can have heavy cream with strawberries, just to name two of my favorite snacks <img src="http://www.asklenore.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'm noticing less breast changes this time round but I had a nice surprise at the lab today. I'm only on domperidone 10 mg 4 times per day and already, after a month, my prolactin level is 222!!!!! This is truly incredible. All we need is about 200 in order to lactate. The Ortho 1/35 is doing a good job of suppressing milk production while building tissue. I can't say that I've had the dramatic results that I had the first time but my doctor says that's because it's only been about 2 years since I weaned my son so my breasts are probably primed. I've heard similar stories from several of the moms in my clinic who had bio babies. They seem to report that their breast changes are not as dramatic the second time around.

I think this is a clue to your situation Cathy. You had already done the protocol before you started up again. So perhaps your breasts are also primed. In any case, there has never been a mom on the regular protocol so far who did not produce breastmilk so worry not my dear friend.

Fondly,

Thanks Lenore,
I will order some Necon or Ortho and the provera, just to make sure. I tried to go on induction (first phase of the Atkins) and only lasted 3 days...my cravings are just too intense and the low carb stuff (yes I like the blueberries and cream,,,and the Atkins choch. shake mixed with cream) just was not satisfying me. I missed taking the bcp for one day,,forgot...and it feels like in that one day I lost 5 lbs! I know once I am off all of these that I will get back down,,esp. living in Guatemala, having to walk everywhere and taking care of two kids , including one newborn!
I plan on staying on meds until mid May, which will be almost seven months.
Question Lenore,,,why did you stay on the 40 mg of Domperidone , and I went up to 80mg after the first week?
Congrats on your high Prolactin level! The way I have been so sleepy the whole time on the protocol makes me believe my level is probably pretty high also.
It looks like our daughter should be born in May now,,,ready for bringing home in September. We will see her at the end of June.
I had gone up to a C cup on the Diane, and am back down to a B cup on the Yasmin,,,I think you are right, I should switch bcp for the last month. Thanks for your help, Cathy

Hey Lenore, Cathy,

Now I'm a little confused. I thot the latest research was showing that Yasmin was better for breast development because of the higher levels and type of progesterone. Are one of the other bcp's better for breast development? I'm in the middle of week 6 of Yasmin, 4 with dom.

Thanks,
Laura

Hello,
Everyone is different, I don't seem to be responding well to the Yasmin. It is triple strength progesterone compared to the Necon, but it is a different form of progesterone. I had responded fairly well to the Diane 35 bcp, which is no longer recommended. If you are doing well on the Yasmin, I would stay where you are. Lenore is probably suggesting I switch because my cup size had been a C and is now a B etc...The Necon and Ortho seem to do well for most women on the long regular protocol. She just suggested to add 1/2 provera to boost my response, esp. since I am only planning on staying on the protocol till mid May, that will give me almost seven months Take care, Cathy

Hi Laura, Cathy, Nona,

Cathy is exactly right. We've been keeping a very close watch on Cathy. She's a medical professional who knows her body inside out. Although the vast majority of women respond to Yasmin, Cathy has mentioned some interesting phenomena that she experiences with certain types of progesterone (increased blood sugar, increased blood pressure) that leads me to believe that changing to either Ortho 1/35 or Necom and 1/2 Provera 2.5 is the prudent thing to do at this point.

The nice thing about these protoocls is that they are flexible. As health professionals, we need to listen to what women are telling us. So with no further adieu, Cathy, please obtain the prescriptions to change your meds and let us know if you experience breast changes. Pleae monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure. It may be a good idea to get a prolactin level prior to changing meds and post change. Just to see if there is any effect by the change of progesterones.

For Atkins...go get those chocolate bars...Endulge...they are amazing....and you can eat them all day long without gaining an ounce!!

To answer your question about the dom, I stayed at 10 mg 4 times per day because I didn't have time to get a blood test LOL. Anyway, for me, I was lucky, because I had such a dramatic response to the dom. My prolatin yesterday was 222!!! I could probably technically lactate right now since I only need about 200. Anyway, I bumped up my meds today to 20 mg 4 times per day. Should be quite dragged out by tomorrow afternoon LOL.

In your case Cathy you had a potential baby almost immediately and so we were concerned about getting those breasts of yours to do their job in time. So we encouraged you to get your dom up as fast as possible. Then once it was up there, no sense in dropping back down. Remember you can have coffee if you're still feeling dragged out. Try to limit it to 2 cups a day and stop the coffee when you start pumping.

Nona, I don't want to embarrass you but if it will help Cathy, let me just say that Nona has probably had the hardest time of anyone on any of these protocols. We've been working together for a couple of years now. There's basically nothing Nona wasn't willing to try and because of her we have the Menopause Protocol. And here she is, after countless obstacles, and hardship, pumping 4 1/2 oz a day. I just burst into tears of joy when I saw that post.

Cathy, if Nona can do it, anyone can do it. We all owe her a huge debt of gratitude for all she has been through to help the rest of us. Everything from trying different meds to testing almost every pump out there. Nona, you're the best!!!!

Fondly,