Progesterone safe while BFing?

[capsgirl08]

I am just over 8wks pg, and I have a 2-years and 3-month old boy. He is still BFing.
Being that I had a miscarriage 4 months ago, my OB wanted to monitor my progesterone levels since that is one of the only things we could "do" something about if they were off and if I were headed toward mc again.

I was just hesitant about the whole idea because I haven't checked into its side effects on the baby in utero, and I didn't know how it would affect my nursing toddler.

Does anyone have any information in the meantime while I start searching around?
Thank you in advance!

[MaerynPearl]

Your body produces more progesterone than what a supplement would put into you. The supplement is just to ensure your progesterone levels do not go too low (which is thought to contribute to miscarriages...)

It has no effect on you that your body creating progesterone itself would not have.

The reason your body does not create as much progesterone during breastfeeding (thus causing you to need to supplement) is because breastfeeding causes and increase of prolactin which suppresses progesterone to keep you from ovulating and getting pregnant while still nursing.

Blah blah blah scientific info anyway... the worst the progesterone can do is make your pregnancy symptoms worse and MAYBE lower your milk production, but the worst NOT having the extra progesterone can do is have you lose the baby.

[capsgirl08]

Ok. Wow. I am taking that in. I never realized that breastfeeding led to lower levels of progesterone. Sigh. As long as the side effects on the little baby and on toddler aren't significant, I'm ok. I just don't like the idea of suppositories...blegh.

Do you know if there is any difference in symptoms/side effects between taking oral supplements vs suppositories?

My OB also never knew I was BFing last time I miscarried, and does not know I am BFing now...do you think she would automatically suggest progesterone? I was supposed to have my blood drawn last week, but am waiting to go to a different lab next week. (I had an issue with the in-house phlebotamist...)

Thank you for the info!

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by capsgirl08

Do you know if there is any difference in symptoms/side effects between taking oral supplements vs suppositories?

My OB also never knew I was BFing last time I miscarried, and does not know I am BFing now...do you think she would automatically suggest progesterone? I was supposed to have my blood drawn last week, but am waiting to go to a different lab next week. (I had an issue with the in-house phlebotamist...)

Its better to do suppositories if that is what your doctor wants you on, oral may not get a sufficient amount in your system to actually make any difference.

She probably would automatically suggest progesterone if she knew you were breastfeeding, but having had a loss is a reason to have it tested in the first place.

Of course, I am also of the camp that believes for most women progesterone supplementation during pregnancy does nothing more than to make your symptoms worse, even if you test at a low once (I tested at just over a 7 in my first tri but they want you over 10, second test was over 15 and I was never supplemented.)

However, when breastfeeding there is sufficient cause to believe that the prolactin levels can decrease your progesterone enough to cause issues.

[Just1More]

Except the link between m/c and bfing is pretty weak. In *some* women, it can cause problems, but not in most. If you are able to become pg, then it's clear your progesterone levels have risen to a sufficent level to allow ovulation. I've nursed through 2 pregnancies and not had any issues, nor had anyone suggest I should take progesterone.

Sure, have it tested, but don't assume you need to do anything about it.

[rparker]

It's safe to take progesterone while breastfeeding. My old OBGYN prescribed the progesterone only "mini pill" when my daughter was only a few weeks old and exclusively breastfed.

Extra progesterone may/may not hurt your milk supply, but for a lot of women the normal hormonal changes caused by pregnancy are enough to do that. I've never had to take it, but it's always been my understanding that progesterone supplements in the first trimester were designed to get you up to "normal" pregnancy hormone levels anyway.

Originally Posted by capsgirl08

My OB also never knew I was BFing last time I miscarried, and does not know I am BFing now...do you think she would automatically suggest progesterone?

No. It hasn't been demonstrated that breastfeeding causes miscarriage. Also, if you're breastfeeding a toddler and your fertility has returned odds are your progesterone levels are a lot higher than they were when nursing a baby... even if you weren't pregnant. Adventures in Tandem Nursing has a really great explanation of the various "seasons of the breast" (it also has great info on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and miscarriage as well as a ton of other topics).

You might be able to get even more info over in the Breastfeeding or Breastfeeding Beyond One Year forums since there are a lot of very knowledgeable ladies over there