Hi! I was just wondering if anyone had tried Reglan for increasing milk supply and what your experiences with it are. My OB just prescribed for me and I have heard it can cause depression with some people. I have a 12 day old little girl and have been struggling with breastfeeding.
Hi T.,
I tried Reglan when I was having low milk supply problems. It only helped me to get about an extra oz than I was producing. I never got any depression symptoms from the medicine.
HTH
K.
"mommy" to Michaela 06-13-06
I am not sure that I would personally take it. There are a ton of things you can do to increase milk supply. You can take Fenugreek. It is an herbal supplement you can find at GNC or Georgetown Market or any place like that. Very inexpensive too. about 15 for a month supply. I used it and loved it. You regulate how much you take too. You can take it 2 pills 2 times or 1 pill 2 times or 2 pills one time. Whatever you want. It is fine to take for the baby too. You can go to Kroger and get Mothers Milk tea. It helps with lactation too. Any fennel seed will help with lactation. YOu can look up a ton of stuff on the net. Good luck. Not sure that I would take a med that might depress me especially if I am gonna already have PPD. Drink plenty of water. Also you can drink maybe 2 cans of Pepsi a day. Caffine helps with milk production too. Please do not take birth control eaither. It actually dries you up. I took it right away with my first 2 kids. Dried me right up. I didnt take it with my 3rd and BF for 8 months and am currently BF my 4th and he is 6 months. If you need any other tips or have any questions leave me a message. Good luck.
T., I got a prescrip for Reglan but never used it. A friend recommended a website http://fourfriends.com/abrw/index.html
It focuses on adoptive moms but has message boards for biological moms as well. Good Luck!
I took it for about 2 weeks and did notice an increase in my supply, however, I did find that I was more irritable, a little nervous, anxious feeling and sort of buzzed like feeling. I heard this was because it also can have certain effects on your central nervous system. I stopped taking it and all those symptoms went away. I had a friend who took it though and had absolutely no problems. I guess you never know until you give it a try. Goodluck!
I was on reglan and also did the old wife's tail of a beer a day (the hops or malt helps increace production) I started both around the same time and my milk production like tripled!! No depression, not really any side affects for me...GOOD LUCK!!
I didn't have to take any perscriptions to increase my milk supply, but I do know that if you increase your fluid intake this will help. I belong to a breastfeeding group in Teays Valley and if you have any questions their is about 15 women in that group. We have a website through Yahoo it is La Leche League of Teays Valley, WV and it Offers Breastfeeding Support. Their are some really experienced women there for help. I have BF my son for 19mts now and I am also 14 weeks pregnant, so if I can help in any way please let me know.
I had twins, my doctor told me "If you don't have any objections, you could have a Malt Liquor Beer". Something about the malt is what increases milk production. And that beer tasted so good for not having any for a long time! lol
I took Reglin and it didn't help. I did end up getting Post Partum Depression but I didn't know it at the time (I just thought I was an incompetent MBA trying miserably to be a mother). I did end up taking something called Dom Peridone, which did help in the milk production, but I never made enough to sustain my daughter. At the time, Dom Peridone was not approved by the FDA and I needed to have it milled which was a pain.
On another note, remember that although "breast is best" according to party lines, it's not necessarily best for your little girl to have a mommy who's making herself nuts trying to do something that, for one reason or another, just isn't working.
They never told me this in the hospital, but you can nurse and give formula. That's what I did with both my girls and they are happy, normal and thriving at 3 and 1. So having been through what you are experiencing, I emphatically recommend supplimenting. It's also a great way for your husband to be involved as well.
Good luck with your efforts! You are a great mom no matter what you decide!
-B.
The best remedy that worked wonder for me was an organic tea called healthy nursing teas. With the help of this herbal tea I was able to exclusively breastfeed my baby.
Congratulations!!! I am currently on Reglan for the third time. I took it twice for 12 days to see if it would help encourage milk supply. It sure helped increase supply, but once I was off, my supply dramatically dropped. Now I am on Reglan full time for the next 3 months. It helps tremendously. There were times I was engorged in the morning b/c my daughter slept through the night and I didn't get to nurse her. It works great, however, it does come with many side effects. I battled severe depression all through college and after for years... luckily, it has not effected me that way. That is one of the major complaints of the medicine, so be careful and just make sure to listen to your body. If you start noticing feelings of sadness, resentment, etc. then make sure you call your doctor right away. My outlook is that it makes you so very happy to be able to provide for your baby without worry of them not eating enough, maybe that's why I don't have problems with that certain side effect! I commend you for not giving up. Reglan works wonders, so don't worry so much. If you would like any further support with BF, come to breastfeeding support group at Riverview on Thursdays 10:30-12. We have a wonderful certified lactation specialist, Rosemary, who is glad to help with any problems you may be having. My daughter is 5 mo. and I wouldn't have made it to this point without her help!
I would definitely suggest using the herbal supplements like fenugreek or fennel seed, and making sure that you get a TON of fluids before taking Reglan. Normal adults need 64 oz. per day to keep them properly hydrated, and breastfeeding moms need at least half again that amount. If you don't like drinking water for some reason, try the Mother's Milk Tea or some other kind of lactation tea. There are all different kinds that you can find in health food stores or health sections of grocery stores/pharmacies.
