Karen Evon writes about a lady experiencing unpleasant symptoms using quite
a few substances (herbs and drugs/hormones) to induce lactation.  She felt
nauseous, which could be from the estrogen, and has what appear to be
feelings of anxiety (tight jaw, jittery feelings) which could be the Reglan.
She was only pumping 3-4/24 hrs, and in a week of all this activity had
drops on the nipples.  I think she probably would have had drops after a
week of pumping by itself.  For many years I have worked with an average of
12-15 couples a yr trying to induce lactation, and most of them don't ever
use any drugs -- some won't even take herbs. There seems to be quite a wide
variation in response to induction, and some has to do with factors stemming
from the woman's physical and psychological profile.   I am not personally
opposed to estrogen priming and then a jolt of a prolactin stimulator, but
certainly results can occur without anything but the mechanical stimulation.
(The threshold number of minutes of breast stimulation per 24 hrs for this
job is around 120.  That's about 15 min. every 3 hours.)  If she is having
negative reactions to the drugs, just try the fenugreek and blessed thistle
and more pumping/gentle breast massage.

 It seems to me that many of the women drawn to inducing lactation are
perfectionistic, and put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform.  They
want the best for the baby, but can easily make themselves crazy getting too
attached to the volumes of milk rather than the quality of the experience.
Then when things go slowly (as they tend to do in inductions) there can be
disappointment, abrupt discontinuation, and self-recrimination for not being
"enough of a woman."   I do a LOT of counseling with these moms.  "Easy Does
It" needs to be their motto.

 Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd., IBCLC
Private Practice, Austin Texas
Visit the "LactNews-On-Line" Web Page
http://www.jump.net/~bwc/lactnews.html