Dear Kim,

This is just anecdotal, but quite often in my 15 years doing breastfeeding 
support, a mom will call about a decreased milk supply at 6 weeks or 3 
months that seems out of the blue.  I'll ask all the usual questions, 
including "Are you taking any meds?"  She'll say, "No!" and we go round and 
round trying to figure it out.  Finally I get specific: "Are you taking any 
thing like a medication: herbs, birth control pills, anything?"  and she'll 
say, "I didn't know you meant birth control pills!"  I read her the 
references on the possible effects, she stops the pill and the milk supply 
recovers.  I've seen it quite a few times with even the mini-pill.  The 
frustrating thing is that usually they have asked their doctors and they've 
been told, "Oh no, these will have no effect on your breastfeeding!"  I 
can't recommend hormonal birth control for breastfeeding mothers any more.

As for her continued bleeding, I recommend more rest!  I tend to bleed a 
long time after births, and I have noticed a direct correlation between how 
little rest I get and how long I bleed in my seven postpartums :-)

I hope you get plenty of referenced answers, too, Kim!

Melanie Young, IBCLC 

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