Hormonal BC and BFing - How much did it decrease your supply?

[vrclay]

I'm 4 mo post-partum and I'd feel a lot more comfortable with a hormonal method. My OB said that it would decrease my supply but I have enough milk for 2 kids - literally. I was away from my child for a 24 hour period and pumped 62oz! I'm wondering if I could use the hormonal methods and still have enough milk, in particular the Nuvaring. If I try it and my milk levels drop too much, can I stop and would my milk levels increase again? I have a freezerful of milk so I could stand experiement a little but I'd hate to jeopardize my supply long term.

Anyone been there, done that? Is it just to risky for my supply? I've got cervix problems so I'm not willing to go the IUD route.

[Mama Lo]

I haven't tried it, but when I got my iud after dd birth my mw that the nuvaring has a much less risk of decreasing your supply than the pill because it's absorbed locally not ingested. It was the only estrogen containing bc that she recommended for breastfeeding mamas.
I was on the mini-pill(progesterone only) for a few months before I got my iud and I didn't notice any supply difference with those.

[larzanna]

I am on the mini pill. I have noticed no difference in milk supply. My Dr. said that the women who seem to have problems on the mimi pill are most often those that were already kinda having problems. But waiting till things are well established (like at 4 months), usually not a problem. She said if i noticed a dip in supply to just stop taking it.

[bean-e]

I was on Marvelon for about a month in a desperate attempt to decrease my milk supply as nothing else was working. I stopped after about two weeks worth when my milk supply went down to a more manageable level. My milk supply has gone back up a little since I stopped and goes up a bit whenever I have oatmeal, but it was not as insane as it was initially. That being said, it's hard to know how much of it was the pill, my body regulating itself (tried it when dd was 16 weeks) or changes in my diet affecting hormonal levels.

Good luck.

[bzmum]

I can't remember what happened when I went back on the pill after my son was born...it was when he was around 12 months, though. This time around I got the Mirena IUC...its an IUD that releases a small amount if intrauterine progestin, is very effective, can remain internally for up to 5 years, has few side effects, etc. So far, so good. It is expensive if you have to pay for it yourself but is usually covered by insurance. You should look into it.

Oops! Sorry, I just read your last statement about cervical issues. Good luck!