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Hi everyone!

This is my first post, and I'm very new to all of this.

Short history - I'm 41 right now. I was in a horrible accident when I was 19 (9 months pregnant), and lost the baby. I had major internal damage (almost died), and they had to remove my entire uterus, and all but a tiny part of one ovary.

About 3 years ago, I discovered I was post menopausal (premature, due to the earlier loss of my uterus/ovaries) - it was devastating, because I had been planning on doing a surrogacy with my own eggs, but it is what it is, so my current husband and I decided to do a surrogacy with an egg donor.

We are now (finally) expecting twins in about 4 1/2 months!

Now, for my question.

For the last 2-3 years I've been on the maximum dosages for the following hormones:

Biest (Estriol/Estradiol) cream, testosterone cream and progesterone (pill).

I really want to be able to breastfeed the babies and am willing to do whatever it takes, and have been reading everything I can find, but I'm confused about whether or not I need to stop my hormone therapy. I've seen things that say I should stop my HRT, like here:

http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/menopause_protocol.shtml

which then goes on to say to start taking Microgestin - which is basically estrogen and progesterone, exactly what I was taking.

Are these really different?

And what about the testosterone I'm on?

Then I read on this page that says to start taking Oestrogen and Progesterone:

http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-BABB

- which is, as I said, basically what I'm taking now... so confusing.

I'm very concerned because I was feeling absolutely horrible before I started taking my hormones - in fact, it is because of how horrible I was feeling that I went to the doctor and found out I was post menopausal, and while I would be willing to endure feeling like that, it seems like it would not be healthy for the babies.

Thank you for being here, it is amazing to find other people in similar situations that care enough to share their experiences!

Tanya

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Also, here's my other question/concern. Would it actually be good for the babies to have my milk (assuming I can produce it)? Can the fact that my body is low on certain hormones have an affect on nutritional qualities of the milk I would produce (maybe they need a certain amount of hormones to be passed on to them that I won't be able to supply)? As much as I would like to experience breastfeeding I want to do what's best for them. I am a huge fan of everything pure, natural and organic. I would love to raise them on breast milk and would hate to use artificial formulas....

Could you please advise?

Thank you!

Tanya

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Hi Tanya,

I would love to help you but your specific questions are geared more towards Lenore. Please email her directly with these questions as well as have your post out here for others to see.

Good luck to you!

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Thank you so much for your message Claudia, I just emailed Lenore. Hopefully I get a response from her soon (I am not impatient at all! wink

I went to see the doctor that I go to for my HRT to see if she would be willing to work with me on trying to make it work, prescribe the meds for the protocol etc. She was very skeptical when I started talking and said it was not going to work, then I showed her a printout of the protocol. She expressed a serious concern about the quality of the milk if it ever happens and about it potentially being harmful for the little ones because of the meds I would be on and because of my general hormone imbalance. She said she will look into that and will see me in a week.

I want to make it happen so much, I would do anything in my power to try to produce good quality milk.

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A lot of doctors are unfamiliar with the protocol and show skepticism. Lenore will be able to point you in the right direction. In the meantime, have you looked into milk banks? They are a good alternative to formula for supplementing until you reach a full supply.

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Yes, I agree, I wasn't surprised by the negative reaction from my doctor, I expected the skepticism. I just hope she will be understanding enough to keep working with me.

Thank you very much for bringing up milk banks. I did do a lot of googling trying to find a sources for donor breast milk, preferably local but was unsuccessful. I don't think I ever did a search on 'milk bank' though, just never thought of it. Now thanks to you I found it, it seems like the closest one is in North Carolina (I live in GA)

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I am the one they invented the post menaposaul protocol for. IT worked well for me. I had a hysterectomy at 21 and was on hormones until 41 when I wanted to breast feed. I took the ortho 1/35 and the domperidone. When I came off the hormones... pumping actually kept my hot flashes and such at bay. I did not take testosterone so I cannot help on that either. I know when I came off and pumped my milk was normal. Now with the meds your taking now.. only Lenore can answer.


Adoptive mommy to 4 , Last 2 adopted nursed. Youngest nursed till she was 5! Raising 2 grandbabies, as infants they were raised on donor breast milk smile
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Nona, thank you so much for your post! It is such an honor to meet you! smile You wanted to beast feed and got it done. So you are the mother of the protocol smile Wow, I am amazed how similar our situations are, I had the surgery at 19 and I am 41 now.

So are you saying that when you started pumping you came off the hormones *completely* ? You were not taking *any hormones* while breastfeeding (and from what I understand you were brestfeeding for quite a while)? And the menopause symptoms didn't bother you? Did you stay on Domeperidone for the whole time you breastfed?

I sent a message to Lenore a few days ago and still waiting to hear from her. I would definitely like to ask her some questions.

My doctor is concerned about the effects of me taking Domeperidone on the baby... she said she is going to do some research, I am seeing her again on Tuesday. I have done some research on it too, and of course, I found positives and negatives, there is no drug or herb out there without a potential side effect.

She is also saying my milk is not going to be good quality... I would absolutely love to prove her wrong! Do you know by any chance if there is a place where you can get your milk tested?

Thank you!

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I am also wondering if it would be possible to substitute Domperidone in the protocol and use herbs instead. Domperidone is a synthetic galactagogue, and herbs are natural galactagogues (I googled and found at least fifteen), what if I just make a high concentration herbal infusion from them and drink it until it's time to pump.... Has anybody tried that?

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Tanya,
Yes I came off ALL HRT while nursing. As long as you are taking estrogens it will PREVENT your milk from coming in. Domperidone will not hurt the baby. I took it the entire time I nursed. Most doctors are not familiar with the protocols or adoptive nursing. The difference in our milk and a birth mothers milk is in the beginning. We have "premilk" It still has immunities in it. And birth mothers have colostrum. When our milk comes in its the same as a birth mothers. There is no difference in our milk. We have had the hormones to build our breasts. Our bodies thought they were pregnant. And produce milk for our infants to. My daughter is now 10 and had one ear infection in her life. Has had no doctor visits other than immunizations. Trust your body. Any milk you make will be better than synthetic formula companies make.


Adoptive mommy to 4 , Last 2 adopted nursed. Youngest nursed till she was 5! Raising 2 grandbabies, as infants they were raised on donor breast milk smile
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