Motilium to increase milk supply?

Hi Girls,

I'm currently pg with number 3 and researching options for increasing my milk supply. I had breast reduction surgery years ago and, although my ducts are patent, I have had a problem with supply in the past. My GP has suggested Motilium to increase my supply and told me that it is very effective and safe for bub. Has anyone used Motilium? Did it work? How effective was it in increasing your supply? How long did you take it for? Any side effects?

Any and all information greatly appreciated! :)

I took motilium when I was BF DS2.
It was very effective in increasing my supply... I took it for a month. Neither DS2 nor I had any side effects, although if you do not feed more often or pump more, your supply can drop drastically when you stop taking the motilium.

I was prescribed Motilium just after I had DS as my milk did not come through. It did bring my milk through, but I still don't have much of a supply - not enough to feed DS. I express several times a day and don't get very much.

My Ob told me that if it didn't work within a week or two, then the chances are that it's not going to work for you and will be a waste of money. I took it for 2 weeks. I still have a few tabs left, so take one or two when my supply lessens.

Side effect wise - there shouldn't be any. Motilium is a drug used to ease stomach cramps and a side effect of it is that it causes milk production. In saying that, I found while taking it that my appetite was non existant.

HTH!

I was on Motilium full time while Breast Feeding DD.

Originally I strate with three a day, then two a day and tried to drop to 1 am day and my supply dissappeared. So went back to three a day and stayed there. Then at 10 weeks DD started losing weight and I got an appointment with a specialist GP/LC and she prescribed 60-80mg a day, which is 6-8 tablets a day, all completely fine to take.

It definitely made a big difference to me, this time I am planning on using Motilium from the start and most likely the higher dosages, my OB will write me a large script for them I have already discussed it with her, as I will be starting off expressing and not BF'ing so will need the extra boost from the start. But I am hoping that this time as I know more about let downs how to achieve it that I might get a better start with BF'ing I was really stressed out trying to make enough milk to meet the Paed's requirements for my DD that I think it mentally affected my ability to let down. But this time I am so much more prepared, I have my own double pump (which I bought when N was 6 months old), and double kits x 2 all ready to go :)

HTH's :)

I found that it didn't work for me but Fenugreek worked wonders. When I went on Fenugreek when DD2 was 2 weeks old, it was like my milk had come in a second time. Whatever you choose, I really really hope that it helps you out. Good luck xx :)

I have used it for both babies, to great effect. Although I do need a higher dose, as do most people who really need it. I take 90 mg, I'm pretty sure the ceiling is 120mg. Most medical people do not understand the need to take the higher dose, and will react accordingly. The amounts prescribed for it's intended use (tummy issues) are much lower, 10 or 20mg, so most Drs will prescribe the same for lactating women. But research shows that the higher dose is safe, and effective, and anyone who specialises in lactation knows that it's usually necessary to get the desired effect.

I haven't noticed any negative side effects for either myself or the babies. As Lisa said your supply can drop very quickly when you stop so it's wise to wean off it veeeerrrrrryyyy slowly.

Have you come across Diana West's books and website?

Wow - maybe if I had a higher dose, it may have worked better for me. I was only on 20 mg and my Ob was very sceptical at that!

Claire, it's not too late to try! You can actually buy it online prescription free, if you're interested. I can dig up the site if you like. I didn't even start it til my first DS was 10 weeks, and it really did help. Obs tend not to know much about how to use it, my LC gave me the info :)

Janie - that sounds great - if you could find out, that would be fantastic. I'm just on the cusp of giving up expressing as I'm only getting about 100 ml per day, not even enough for one feed!

Thanks again!

I'm going to subscribe to this thread as I also had a breast reduction - my supply never came in :( I was on motillium but a small dose. I'm really keen to try everything sooner in this pregnancy to make it happen!

Kaz, google Diana West breast reduction.............fantastic info!!!!! She's amazing.

Thank you all so much for your advice and for sharing your experiences. Beema... how do you achieve let down?? I thought it 'just happened' if you had a decent supply. I fed my DS for 3 months (comp feeding with formula from around 10 days old) and I never experienced let down.

Mad Scientist, I did take fenugreek last time. I took it in tablet form and whatever dose it said on the bottle! Did you take tablets and do you remember what dose you took?

miamunchkin, good luck on your continued BF journey! Congratulations on your beautiful baby!

Janie, I will google Diana West. I have a book called 'Breast Feeding After Reduction - Defining your own success'. I ordered it online from the US and I found it very encouraging and helpful. After my DS was born and I was handed a bottle of formula by the midwives I asked each of them to flick through the book when they had a spare minute. It completely changed the MW's attitudes to my attempt to BF my DS. Kazbah, I would highly recommend you get your hands on a copy of the book if you can! I don't know who the author is? Moving the study for new baby's room and books are all packed up... author is probably Diana West!!

So it seems that Motilium works for most people but is required in high doses and shouldn't be stopped suddenly. It's good to not hear of any negative side effects! If you ladies think of anything else... keep it coming!

ETA: When did you start taking Motilium?? After delivery? Before??

I think it's recommended to start taking it after the birth. My LC wanted me to start if my milk hadn't come in by the end of day 4.

Can you tell me what you mean by 'never experienced let down'? Even mums with a 'decent supply' can struggle with the letdown reflex. Whereas others with ongoing low supply (like myself, touch wood!), have no problems. It is a conditioned reflex, sure, so for most mums, most of the time, is 'just happens'. But if it is something you're stressed about ;), it might take a bit of practice and work to encourage it. Sitting or lying comfortably, trying to be relaxed. Being sure to drop your shoulders, breathe slowly and deeply. Looking at your baby, and thinking lovely thoughts about how beautiful s/he is :). Envisioning waterfalls, or fountains of milk - or the flip side, depending on your reaction, thinking about anything BUT breastmilk. Some mums find it helpful to watch tv or read, something that totally distracts them. Some mums find that warmth applied to the breast just before feeding/expressing is helpful. As you can see, there are a number of things you can do to help encourage the LDR, you can only try and see what works for you. All of those tips can be used for when breastfeeding OR expressing.

ETA That book is Diana's, she's wonderful isn't she?!

[QUOTE=nickle730;2320206]
Mad Scientist, I did take fenugreek last time. I took it in tablet form and whatever dose it said on the bottle! Did you take tablets and do you remember what dose you took?

I took the maximum dose which was two tablets three times a day. I think that is heaps more than what's on the bottle. The dose on the bottle didn't work for me and when I took the higher dose, my milk increased drastically. But then my bb's stopped working at 6 weeks with no explanation. DD2 lost weight and was extremely unhappy. I hadn't changed anything. I was still feeding on demand, eating and drinking well etc. They just stopped. My MW said that some people's bb's can't supply enough milk past 6 weeks (exactly the same happened with DD1). So I'm resigned to my bb's not working. If I was ever to fall pg again (not planning to) I would still give bf a go though and start the fenugreek before birth. I don't give up or accept defeat very easily (or maybe I'm just a sucker for punishment!) haha.

Most brands of Fenugreek I have used have been two tablets 3 X day.

MS, I'm sorry you had such a difficult time :hug:

The "let down" is that tingly sensation that you feel, when feeding or expressing, once the milk starts to flow.

It took me weeks before I felt it and worked out that is what it was, I think I was so tense, I wanted it so badly, I was very engorged but so little would come out and I would get more stressed as I would end up getting just enough milk to cover a feed (and I am talking about 30ml!!!), yet I was massive and I know now that I would have had a heap of milk in my bbs, because when I was engorged like that down the track (well not quite the Pamela Anderson look ;)) I would get a 150-200ml per breast. So I believe one of my big struggles was the ability to relax and really let it flow.

But at the time I was in shock, trying to comprehend that my DD had arrived 7 weeks early in a huge rush with no warning, and hand been hand expressed by a MW, was thinking in my hed what is going on this is what I thought would happen and so desparately wanting my daughter to have no Formula, it was killing me that the one thing I had the ability to do for her, I was failing at.

So I believe that created a mental block and inability to let it all flow as such.

I will be planing to start Motilium after delivery, all depends on what happens with Flicker, gestation, NICU or SCBU, will see if my supply comes in and when it does and how I go with the expressing, without it, but if I feel that I can't do it then will be getting straight onto it. I think that it is something that I will need as expressing is hard work and isn't as good at encouraging the milk to flow.

Beema hun, you did such a fantastic job :hug: And I know how well your story turned out! Things will be so much easier for you this time around, even if bub is in NICU/SCN. You've been there, done that mumma! I know you'll be great :D

I just want to clarify that some mums NEVER feel their let down, but that doesn't mean it's not happening. Mums who do feel it feel it in varying degrees, and as I said, some never feel it at all. There are other ways to tell if your LDR has occurred.

Beema, you did an amazing job to persevere in such difficult and emotional circumstances. You must be very proud of yourself, your DD and what the two of you achieved together on your BF journey!

Hmmm... I have never heard let down described as a 'tingling', always as a strong sensation of the breasts filling and a resulting 'fullness'. Someone described it to me as a 'rushing' feeling in her breasts!! I do recall tingling in my breasts, but never felt the heavy fullness I had heard described (although when my milk 'came in' I felt quite engorged... but I think that's different from let down!). I was very anxious, particularly when trying to feed my DS (for a whole lot of different reasons, some to do with BF, some to do with his general health). I was never able to relax and just enjoy BF him as I was constantly worried that I didn't have enough milk for him. Which made me more anxious!! And around and around it goes...

I think I was only taking two Fenugreek tablets per day. Can the Fenugreek and Motilium be taken together and is there any benefit to taking both??

Aww thanks Janie, you have a pretty inspirational journey yourself :hug: and Nickle :hug:

You can take them both together no problems with that, I also tried Blessed Thistle and drinking Aktavite, didn't really feel a great effect from either, would like to make lactation cookies, but just don't know if I will have the time :lol:

For me it was just the tingly feeling :D

Nickle, that vicious cycle is hard! The let down feeling, if felt, can be different for different mums. For some it is like pins and needles, others a tingling, and for others yet it can be quite uncomfortable, even painful. Many mums feel that their breasts become briefly hard, like a very full feeling as you described. There is no one sensation you *should* experience, it is only what is normal for you. And, as I said, some mums feel nothing at all. I have only felt it a handful of times, and very vaguely. But I know that I do let down, and can even see it when I'm expressing.

Yes, Fenugreek and Motilium can be taken together. There is another herbal galactogogue, Blessed Thistle, that it beneficial when taken in conjunction with Fenugreek. In fact there are many, many galactogogues available, Diana's website will be able to tell you some more. In fact, she has a wonderful book available, Making More Milk, which has an extensive list of them, and how they are beneficial (they all work differently).

Hi, there,

I wonder, how did breastfeeding go with your other children?
Motilium works to increase your prolactin levels. Prolactin is the hormone that makes milk. Generally, we have high levels of prolactin in our bodies while pregnant - but we don't make milk, because our placenta produces hormones to supress the action on prolactin. When the placenta leaves our body the prolactin can start doing it's thing - making milk.
In the early days of breastfeeding our milk supply is driven by high levels of prolactin - over time the levels of prolactin naturally decrease to a low level, but milk supply is driven by baby's feeding. The baby's suckling produces a prolactin spike. As the baby feeds, you make more milk. By and large, frequent feeding is the secret to supply.
Making milk is like baking a cake - there are lots of ingredients. Diana West's Low Milk Supply -- Providing Information and Support to Breastfeeding Mothers website has a great explanation of how this all works.
Taking motilium may help if lack of prolactin is the *problem* in low milk supply. In your case you will also be dealing with lack of breast tissue (though remember, most of us have more milk making capacity than we us (ie most of us have the potential to feed twins - but we only need to feed one baby at a time) Motilium may also *maximise* the milk production of the tissue you have available - but the most important thing is to breastfeed frequently. Early feeding , and early , uninterrupted skin to skin contact with youur baby will also act to maximise you supply - more than drugs.
To get the best chance of breastfeeding, join the Australian Breastfeedng Association (their book, "breastfeeding ....naturally" comes free with subscription. Go to their classes and *really* get a good understanding of how breastfeeding works. A consult with an experienced LC will also be helpful. The skill will be to work out how much milk your baby is getting from you, and supplementing appropriately if necessary.
Where you will lay on the spectrum of milk supply is probably a bit of an unknown. I was very happy to see a mum who had had a reduction down at the supermarket the other day and she whispered to me she is *still* breastfeeding her 2 yr old. Fabulous, because with her first post reduction baby she was told 'she couldn't breastfeed' - and didn't.
Motilium may be a useful l for you, but will be only one part of the equation

Hi Barb, Thanks for your response and your advice. Like the mum you mentioned, I didn't really attempt to BF my DD7 because I was handed a bottle of formula at her first feed and told not to bother as there was no point. Other MW's told me that I MUST try and so my daughter was on the breast a couple of times a day (obviously not enough to establish a supply!). By the time I got home and the MCHN visited, I was so confused that when she asked me if i was BF I burst into tears and said "I don't know!!!". She advised me that there was no point continuing after reduction and as I was already comp feeding I should give up the BF, which I did. I continued to leak milk for around two weeks but this 'dried up' on its own.

By the time my DS was born, I was more educated about feeding after surgery. I did not comp feed him until he was 2 weeks old. He was quite happy to sit on my breast as long and as often as I let him! We continued to BF with comp feeds until about 12 weeks, which was the goal I had set for myself. Our BF journey was complicated by the fact that my son was born with serious renal problems and we had to be particularly careful that he was receiving adequate fluids. I was terrified that my supply was not enough and the he would become dehydrated. Again, not a very relaxed experience BF'ing!

One of my very good friends is a MCHN and LC. She assisted me with attachment and we also weighed my DS regularly to ensure he was gaining weight (as well as watching for all the other signs that my DS was getting enough fluid). My friend was surprised by how well my breasts drained and the supply that I did have. My breasts are still a DD cup after the reduction, does this have any correlation to the amount of milk producing breast tissue? I know plenty of women with A cup breasts who feed very successfully!?

I am very realistic about my likely ability to solely BF my next baby. I know that I will probably have to comp feed again. But I would like to know that I have done everything that I can to maximise my supply. I also want to have a plan in place so that I can respond confidently to all the MW's who doubt my attempts to BF (some refused to help me as it was 'a waste' of their time!). I would like to feel relaxed this time, and enjoy my BF journey!

Nickle, I just wanted to express how sad and horrified I am that some people told you it was 'a waste of their time' to help you. That is so terrible, on so many levels. I'm so sorry you experienced that :hug: