Before I launch into my ramblings, though, please know that I am aware of the manifold benefits, from nutritional to bonding and beyond, of breastfeeding an infant. I’m not questioning any one person’s judgment. Please understand that. What follows is more of a querulous verbal vomiting from a non-physician, non-scientist, and a complete ignoramus.
Also please understand that I know that there are protocols where one does not take any medications. I have read that one doesn’t even need to take drugs to set things in motion... so why would anyone who knows this take a dozen pills a day to induce breastmilk? Let’s move away from this a moment and look at what the majority of the folks’ I’ve followed are doing.
Over the last couple of years, I have read several potential adoptive parents’ blog entries that talk about inducing lactation to breastfeed an adopted child, and have also been reading articles about it as well.
Generally, for a woman to breastfeed an adopted child, a doctor prescribes a pharmacy full of chemicals and other things that trick her hormones into thinking she needs to produce milk.
Digest that statement (no pun intended) – about taking those powerful drugs/synthetic hormones – and add this to it: everyone knows that whatever a lactating woman ingests, it winds up in her breastmilk.
Has anyone ever wondered what the effects of these drugs in the breastmilk will be on a child? I’m just asking aloud. That question popped in my mind when I read about Erica starting her protocols, as well as some other bloggers’.
The blogs I’ve read that have started the process state that their protocol started with a drug regimen. One article I read gives the birth control pill ("BCP") combined with Domperidol, with stimulation from a breast pump.
Over the last couple of years, I have read several potential adoptive parents’ blog entries that talk about inducing lactation to breastfeed an adopted child, and have also been reading articles about it as well.
Generally, for a woman to breastfeed an adopted child, a doctor prescribes a pharmacy full of chemicals and other things that trick her hormones into thinking she needs to produce milk.
Digest that statement (no pun intended) – about taking those powerful drugs/synthetic hormones – and add this to it: everyone knows that whatever a lactating woman ingests, it winds up in her breastmilk.
Has anyone ever wondered what the effects of these drugs in the breastmilk will be on a child? I’m just asking aloud. That question popped in my mind when I read about Erica starting her protocols, as well as some other bloggers’.
The blogs I’ve read that have started the process state that their protocol started with a drug regimen. One article I read gives the birth control pill ("BCP") combined with Domperidol, with stimulation from a breast pump.
Think about that for a minute. Seriously.
BCPs contain powerful synthetic chemicals that mimic hormones, which are (of course) designed to mess with your reproductive system. Now that people want to know more of what they’re putting in their bodies, women are starting to wonder what is really in BCPs as well. I suspect none of us really want to know – if they did, they’d never go on it. Back on topic, though, and think about this: these synthetic hormones and whatever else is in them will wind up in your breastmilk.
Let’s look at Domperidone (aka Motilium, Motillium, Motinorm and Costi), the second part of this simpler protocol. Domperidone is a dopamine inhibitor, primarily used for an anti-emetic (keeps one from puking) for those with gastrointestinal issues. Its role in breastmilk stimulation is to limit dopamine so that the hormone prolactin can be released, thereby telling the body to produce breastmilk. Medicinenet.com lists the side effects as “Headache, dizziness, dry mouth, nervousness, flushing, or irritability may occur the first several days as your body adjusts to the medication. Trouble sleeping, stomach cramps, hot flashes and leg cramps have also been reported... Notify your doctor immediately if you develop: chest pain, slow/fast/irregular heartbeat, swelling of the feet or ankles, difficulty urinating, swelling of the breasts or discharge from the nipple in men or women, menstrual changes, sexual difficulties. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.” So, yeah, there are other side effects NOT SPECIFICALLY LISTED that you should go see a doctor for. Scary.
Anytime there are unlisted but potentially harmful insinuated on a label or on a site like that, my antennae twitch like mad. But what really bothers me is “Because this medication enhances movement in the digestive tract, it may affect the absorption and action of other medications.” So that means ANYTHING you ingest while using this protocol will possibly be amplified, like if you take any medication for a chronic problem, or even aspirin. Yikes!
I’m going to let y’all deduct and research the rest. I only had the barest trace of the desire to do breast feeding, but now there’s no way.
Remember, my intent is not to criticize or scare the crap out of anyone. I just can’t help but wonder if all these willingly ingested chemicals have anything to do with the soaring rate of autism and other health and developmental problems.
3 comments:
thanks for sharing all of your info, that is all very interesting
These meds definitely have side-effects. I can attest to that! But, just so we know, BC and Domperidone don't cross over into your milk. They don't cross what is known as the blood-brain barrier...which is why they are considered "safe." But others, like Reglan, for example, do cross the barrier and can end up in your milk...so they are not the reccommended protocol, but some people use them. You definitely want to do your research on any suggested meds to make sure they don't cross into the milk. THAT would be bad and make the whole thing pointless! LOL
Erica
Your last comment is pretty far out there. How could the miniscule numbers of women out there who are doing adoptive b-feeding using domperidone have anything to do with the rising rates of autism? Hard to fathom. Unfortunately, it probably does have something to do w/toxins in our environment -- in the air, water, food chain, personal care products, plastics, etc etc -- not things we can easily control, and certainly not as easy as, say, refusing to take any medications.
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