Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Thinking of weaning soon... questions

Hi ladies,

Well, I've been nursing my adopted son for three months now and it is wonderful. I never made more than an ounce per feeding/pumping, but the emotional benefits have been worth all the effort. He has loved nursing and I have loved the bonding and closeness. I'm sooooooo glad we did this! I'm also happy that when he isn't nursing, he's getting 100% donated breast milk... (Thank God for donating moms!!!). BUT, now that he is getting bigger and taking in so much more milk than I can provide, he is growing a little impatient with nursing. I have enough Dom to get me through the month, so we will nurse until I run out. So here are my questions:

1. How did you wean off the Dom?
2. How soon after you weaned did your period return?
3. Did your supply dwindle immediately once you started weaning off the Dom even if baby was still nursing?

Thanks ladies for all your help through all of this!!

Daisy

I didn't wean until around 18 months with my first daughter and 20 months with my second. I was also ebf throughout our nursing relationship, so obviously differently. The first time, I needed to wean when I did, so I dropped feedings and decreased supply, but I didn't totally stop the dom until we were done nursing.

The second time, I started weaning off the dom around 14 months and very slowly dropped one pill at a time. I ran out of dom totally when she was around 18-19 months. My supply dropped significantly as I got down to 40 mg a day, but she was solidly on solids, so it didn't matter. My period returned after a stopped the dom, but before I stopped nursing.

Good luck.
Jennifer

Thanks Jen! Had I succeeded in producing more milk, I wouldn't wean. But I'm sick of taking the Meds (daily headaches) for very little return!

Hi Daisy: You could also see if you could wean from the dom slowly, you may find there's a point when you no loner experience side effects and could stay on this lower dose. The research is inconclusive as to whether lower doses are just as effective (no studies done in moms inducing though, so it's a bit different). You may find a dose that you can continue to take without issue that may help to maintain the (small) supply you do have.

Thanks Carrie! I didn't know that about the lower dose.