Domperidone for low milk supply (DD, not me!) -any advice, experience or thoughts?

This is from the Mayo Clinic website re Doperidome whilst breastfeeding:

"There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding."

I would be inclined to give up and give the baby formula.

link to information here

Mayo Clinic is a well respected and reliable source of information.

Thanks, jingl. She really wants BF to work, but I'm not sure this regime of expressing every few hours is going to be viable. Just want to know the health risks and whether others had tried it or knew someone who had.

This is a rather old thread from Mumsnet, Rowantree, but it might be helpful to your DD

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/571012-has-anyone-used-domperidone-or-know-anything-about-it

My DGS was born 9 weeks early and too small to suckle properly. DD did as yours and expressed after every feed and attended the breast feeding clinic at the neonatal unit. They were very helpful. She was given domperidone for weeks which helped tremendously. She had no side effects at all. She took her milk to the neonatal unit for him and froze the left overs. She ended up with lots of frozen milk which she used in cooking and for us to give him when she went back to work. He finally stopped breast feeding about 20 months though it was just bedtime feed in the end. For another couple of months he wanted "boo" when he was poorly but now drinks cows milk. DD was determined to make it work but it was time consuming. While expressing she used her iPad or read.

That's really encouraging, Elainel. We're hoping DGS picks up and takes to breastfeeding more than he is at present.

Ana that's really useful and I'm forwarding the thread to my DD for her perusal.

:-D

How about fenugreek? It helped me considerably with upping milk supply and is a homeopathic remedy with no side effects I know of. Holland and Barrets carries it.

DD is in a similar position with breastfeeding > bottle of expressed milk > formula top up and then expressing which just about brings her back to the next feed. Not questioning her lactation consultant, but granny suspects this is OTT. However, you have to trust the people advising you and for me to undermine her would be unfair and counterproductive. It seems the older a first time mum is, the even more unconfident she feels , not to say insecure. It's not easy.

Elainel your post gives me hope too!

I would be concerned about Domperidone being taken for any length of time. My GPsno longer prescribe it other than for severe nausea. More information here.

www.gov.uk/drug-safety-update/domperidone-risks-of-cardiac-side-effects

Oh dear - this throws me into more confusion again. I don't know what to think!

My brother, who is a consultant, says the risk is very low, so I'm taking comfort from that.

DD has tried fenugreek and a herbal tea I sent her. There are two issues: not producing enough milk, plus a baby who takes a bottle but falls asleep at the breast or gets impatient and has a screaming fit and refuses to latch. Visiting tomorrow, so will get a clearer picture then. Obviously domperidone won't fix the latter, though if the milk supply is let down sooner, the baby might not get so impatient.

Poor baby and poor mum! The little mite is probably going through a bit of confusion. Bottle feeding is easier, so little one prefers it, as it is much less work (breastfeeding implies a lot of suckling that is not necessary with a bottle, but this suckling motion is also good for baby, helping development - or so i am told)
I have read the thread but unsure if you said Mum is getting help from breastfeeding group? There are great ladies out there who help with breastfeeding, if she is intent with continuing. the other option is to go with bottle feeding, it is not the end of the world, and if it is going to work better for mum there is no shame in it. Hope it all works out for her soon.

DD refers to this as "Dom Perignon"- now if you could get that on the NHS I bet it would work a treat!

Yes, Alea, we have noted this too :-)

Lisalou it could be confusion but her b/f counsellor has said it's unlikely in this case. DD has bought a teat which mimics more closely the action of the nipple, but he either falls asleep on the breast or fights. DD isn't able to supply all his breastfeeding needs even by pumping much of the day and is getting very depressed at her failure to establish breastfeeding. She does go to a weekly clinic and then DGS performs well - he breastfeeds reasonably well then, which is interesting!
I know it's not the end of the world if she doesn't continue but for her it is - her younger sister overcame multiple breastfeeding problems, as did I, and she knows this and also says she would feel so sad and guilty for letting her baby down. It's still early days though.

I wish I lived closer to support her more :-(

You could remind her that, as he has his first few weeks with breast milk, that will stand him in very good stead. He will have had the all-Important colostrum. She has done well to have got this far. Modern formula very closely resembles breast milk. I would definitely feel that is much better than letting any trace of a drug possibly get into him.

Don't want to scare you but I was prescribed this some years ago for nausea and I thought I was having a heart atteack. I became very breathless and had a squeezing sensation in my chest. I threw them away, rested until it had gone through my system and have not had that sensation since. Nothing would induce me to take those again or let anybody in my family take them. Even if it has no effect on the mother, surely some traces will reach the baby. Personally I wouldn't risk it.

How are things going, Rowantree? i haven't posted for a couple of days, it would appear i have contracted dear son's tonsillitis (blinking boy) and have not been feeling well.
I find it interesting that your little grandson feeds better when they are at bf group. Wonder if it is down to mum's confidence? When she is at bf group she is calm and feels supported. Baby senses this Hey Presto!

Hi again - thanks, Lisalou and others. Very gradual improvement. She has been on the domperidone and it has helped with the supply - was advised to try it by midwives and breastfeeding counsellor. However, she can only take it for two weeks and the BF counsellor recommends consulting a medical herbalist for advice. DD will be staying with us next week while building work is carried out in ther house, so I booked her an appointment and also one for a relaxing back massage. She is very tense and anxious and her health anxiety must be affecting her ability to breastfeed, I'd think. While she's staying with us, I plan to look after her, ensure she's well fed and watered and rested so she can focus on the baby. I'm pleased she hasn't given up yet and really wants it to work.