taking clomid & nursing

[ikes_mommy0731]

my son is 16 months old and we're ready for baby #2. due to pcos i had to take clomid to get prego with him. he still nurses 3-4 times a day sometimes more than that. im dont want to wean him yet. im not ready & neither is he. do you guys think it will be ok if i take clomid and still nurse him? or should i put my hopes for another baby on hold? thanks in advance!!

[lifeguard]

I'm curious too for exactly the same reasons.

[tribord]

I'm in the same boat, except I took Femara instead of Clomid. DD is 23 months old and still no AF. We night-weaned almost 3 months ago and then cut out the post-nap nursing about a month ago, so we are down to just twice a day: the morning wake-up and bedtime nursing.

RE just doesn't seem to know much about nursing and thinks I should wean before taking any meds. I think I'll have to do my own research and show her it may be OK, but I haven't had a chance to dive into it yet.

I'm also considering doing the herbal (Vitex, maca, etc.) thing but know nothing about that, either.

[Shanny2032]

Also interested if anyone knows the answer here. I also took a steroid for my pcos and am wondering about all of it. I initially thought I would wait a few years until she self weaned but maybe I don't have to since that would have me pushing 40+.

[Heba]

According to Dr Hale, Clomiphene is L3 in late stage lactation (L4 early postpartum). Main concern is that it may suppress early lactation, however "its efficacy in reducing milk production in women, months after lactation is established, is unknown but appears to be minimal." Transfer and effect on infant is unreported.

[ikes_mommy0731]

hi heba! what does L3 & L4 mean. i dont understand that.

[rach03]

My OB, RE, and my son's Ped said I was fine to continue nursing my son when I was taking Clomid. I did keep nursing him, he was about 24 months old, though. I did two cycles of Clomid while nursing him, became pregnant the second time and had a miscarriage due to a chromosomal defect.

[Flower of Bliss]

I did multiple clomid cycles while nursing DD1. I did research and was comfortable with the risks. Our first attempted cycle was when DD1 was about 14-15 months. Our last was at 26-27 months. Here's a link to my story.

[pinky]

Just wanted to throw out there, that I didn't want to do clomid with baby #2, and I had great success using acupuncture to stimulate ovulation.

[Latte Mama]

I'm probably going to do a few cycles of clomid next year while still nursing DS and he also nurses 3-4 x a day. I have an acquaintance who is a very AP family physician who did multiple cycles (something like 8 or so) of clomid while nursing her 2 1/2 year old. She's very breastfeeding knowlegeable and she is the one who told me it's ok.

[tribord]

What did you do to bring on a "period"?

For those of you who have done or plan to do a Clomid cycle, what did you do to bring on a "period"? I would be curious to know about the safety of Provera or Prometrium while nursing. And Sage- you mentioned a cream in your thread (congrats by the way!)... could you say a little more about that?

[ikes_mommy0731]

thank you ladies for your input! you have no idea how much its appreciated!! i've been stressing on it a lot lately and you guys have made me feel ALOT better!

Originally Posted by tribord

For those of you who have done or plan to do a Clomid cycle, what did you do to bring on a "period"? I would be curious to know about the safety of Provera or Prometrium while nursing. And Sage- you mentioned a cream in your thread (congrats by the way!)... could you say a little more about that?

to get prego with my son i had to take provera. i had very irregular periods. then my doc put me on clomid days 3-7 of my cycle. this time i got my period all on my own! i had my period before i went to see the doc for baby#2. then i had another but didnt take the clomid because i wasnt sure about nursing. i have no clue about taking provera while nursing. im sure someone does though. i would like to know the answer to that as well. good luck!!

[Heba]

Originally Posted by ikes_mommy0731

hi heba! what does L3 & L4 mean. i dont understand that.

Sorry! They are the lactation risk categories used by Dr Hale (the leading authority on medications and breastmilk); L3 = "moderately safe" and L4 = "possibly hazardous." His full descriptions can be found online here:
http://www.kellymom.com/health/meds/..._risk_cat.html

[ikes_mommy0731]

oh i see now. what's the name of that book? i wanna get it.

[Flower of Bliss]

Originally Posted by tribord

For those of you who have done or plan to do a Clomid cycle, what did you do to bring on a "period"? I would be curious to know about the safety of Provera or Prometrium while nursing. And Sage- you mentioned a cream in your thread (congrats by the way!)... could you say a little more about that?

Thanks for the congrats DD2 is now 4 months old. She's sleep nursing as I type

OBs often prescribe a progesterone pill. I used a progesterone cream, which you can buy at GNC. I just put it on my hands and wrists, or feet and ankles 1-2 times a day. I would usually start a cycle within 48 hours of starting to use the cream! It was almost creepy. However, I only did it after 30+ days since my last cycle. I had had my first PPAF at 10 months. My cycles were irregular and likely anovulatory, but they were definitely there already.

HTH

[Heba]

Originally Posted by ikes_mommy0731

oh i see now. what's the name of that book? i wanna get it.

It's called Medications and Mothers' Milk

Dr Hale also has an online forum where he answers questions not addressed by his book (he won't go over anything which is already in his book).

Another good resource is the Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed).

HTH!

[ikes_mommy0731]

thanks heba!!