I have seen this over and over again. It takes patience and recognition that it can take 2-8 weeks to get back supply after a long stretch of not breastfeeding. Why should a mom who has given birth be more difficult than a mom that has never given birth? Kudos to the mom and for you being her support!
-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rachel Myr
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2013 12:10 PM
Subject: resuming breastfeeding after cabergoline ingestion
Short case report, for the record.
Mother took Dostinex (brand name for cabergoline, lactation suppressant
drug) on day 3, and regretted having done so a short time later. Over the next few days she decided to try to breastfeed again anyway. She carried baby in a sling to keep her close, used paced bottle feeding for the formula she had to give for 21 days, while hand expressing to maintain supply. In the first week, production dwindled to almost nothing and stayed very low for the second week. After two weeks she noticed it was increasing again. We were unable to find any information that would allow me to advise her to wait for less than three weeks.
Using the biological nurturing position, baby was invited back to breast when awake but not desperately hungry. Had to dribble a little formula on nipple to get baby focused, and then she attached herself and fed for about
20 minutes, falling asleep at the end. She woke up when lifted off by mother, and took the other breast without hesitation.
This goes counter to a lot of the beliefs people working in maternity care here have: that if you interrupt breastfeeding for any more than a single feed, it is unrecoverable, and especially if baby is fed by bottle, to mention the two main ones. We all know the drive to breastfeed persists for a long time but it's not common knowledge. For me, it was the constant input here on Lactnet about adoptive breastfeeding, plus my limited experience with relactation, that gave me the confidence to support this particular mother through the process. It was not hard in this case. The baby didn't even seem surprised to be breastfeeding again. So, to all of you who have contributed to the gold mine that is our archives, thank you!
I haven't gone into the background of how she ended up getting cabergoline
- obviously there is a story there, but it's not for Lactnet :-) Rachel Myr Kristiansand, Norway
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