Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Using Domperidone for over a year?

I have been successfully breastfeeding my adopted baby for almost a year (hooray!) She came home with us at 18 days old (no prep, we did not know she was coming, a "safe surrender" baby through foster care). I started pumping, using the Lact-Aid and domperidone right away and was able to eliminate all formula at 6 months old. She recently turned a year and I thought I should try to wean off of the domperidone, as I can't find any info on using it for more than about 15 months or so.

I have been down to 90 mg/day for the last few months, then to 80 mg/day for a few weeks. When I recently tried going down to 70 mg/day my supply really tanked. I no longer hear swallowing and baby is getting frustrated at the breast. She still nurses quite a bit and I'd like to stay at 80-90 mg/day for the next 6 months if it is safe.

Any info/input would be greatly appreciated!!

Congrats on your success! I am in the process of inducing and was wondering how many Mg of Dom you were previously using? I'm taking 80mg per day and certainly understand your concern about long term use.

Congrats, what an accomplishment. I think I wouldn't do anything to put my milk supply at risk while my baby is still under a year. After that to me it would depend on how often she is nursing, how attached to nursing she is, and how adequate her diet of solid foods is. When you do decide to wean I would gradually quit the herbs (if you are taking them) and then gradually quit the Dom (take 10mg less of Dom per day for a week or two before changing the dose again). That is just my way of doing things, not based on anything but my own knowledge and intuition. As far as how long to take Dom, I don't think there's a cutoff - I'm pretty sure it can be taken long term. However, it's a good question for Dr. Newman, or Dr. Thomas Hale, author of Medications and Mothers' Milk. (www.ibreastfeeding.com)

BTW I've been using Dom, 80mg per day for 17 months. 10 months with BCP and 7 months with herbs. I'm fine!

In the book, *The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More MIlk*, a study of the safety of long-term use of domperidone is cited. The study wasn't of breastfeeding mothers, but of diabetic patients with digestion problems. The study showed the safety of domperidone at dosages up to 120 mg/day for as long as 12 years. That was reassuring to me, considering that I am on 120 mg/day and will probably continue on that dosage for at least year, and maybe more. Good luck to you.

jennyjm thank you for that info, it was just what I'd been looking for! That book is on my wish list, maybe I need to go ahead and get it!
I just ordered more domperidone so that I can stay at this dose for at least a few more months. My LO really enjoys nursing and was not happy when my supply went down!

newbie, I have been at varying doses of the domperidone. I followed Dr. Newman's guidelines for starting, found at Domperidone, Getting Started Domperidone, Getting Started , starting with 30mg 3 times a day. I gradually worked my way up peaking at 160mg/day. When I no longer needed to supplement with formula I started to wean down my dose, and had been at 90 mg/day for a few months before trying to drop lower recently. Right now 80 mg/day seems to be working, so I will stick with that for the next few months, then re-evaluate.

I've been on domperidone for over 2 years now. My daughter turns 2 tomorrow. When I use up the dom I have I won't be buying more (too expensive.) I haven't seen any problems with the dom, though who knows, maybe in 20 years my arms will turn green.