Hales lookup

[KatieLou]

is Clomid safe while nursing my 20 month old. He nurses 3-5 times a day.

[KatieLou]

I found this.

http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3wwk,00.html

I did not offer up the info to my ob that I was till nursing DS because he told me I had to wean DD when i became preggo with DS. As much as I like him, he is not very pro bfing. I am still worried about taking this though. I do not want to harm DS in any way. I do understand the risk of possibly loseing some milk supply, but have read many women do not lose there supply.

[Stephanie]

I have a friend who mentioned she could start clomid while she was still nursing her dd. That is only word of mouth, though. I hope you find some answers.

[ima062002]

Clomid is an L4 and as such possibly hazardous. Now it's got this rating because in the immediate postpartum time it effectively suppresses lactation. There is no data or evidence about other issues than the lactation.

About losing supply - are you referring to Clomid or being pregnant? For Clomid Hale goes on to say that months into lactation the effect of the medication on milk making is believed to be minimal. Once pregnant, about 70% of moms experience a drop in supply. For many it's very noticeable.

[KatieLou]

I was refering to the clomid, not being pregnant. I know about the risk of losing milk supply due to being pregnant.

Thank you.

[KatieLou]

Ima would there be anything natural that might help us out, but not have effects on DS? Call the doctor even though I know he will encourage me to wean?

Ok, so I am not going to take it this month. I hope to give myself some more thinking time on this.

[Amy_G_]

If ovulation is your problem, then you won't necessarily start to ovulate regularly until after you wean. Honestly Clomid is such a horrible drug (emotionally for most women) I'd wait til he's closer to 2, and consider weaning before getting pregnant.

[KatieLou]

Thanks Amy G. I do want to add that Clomid is not just based on my scant ovulation this time. I have a history of very irregular periods and ovulation.

I am putting a call into the ob's office this morning to see what he has to say about it. Otherwise I may just have to put this on hold untill DS is weaned.

[KatieLou]

This post will be x-posted at the GB/TTC forums

So I got through to the office and talked directly withthe Dr. He said that it would be in my best intrest to weanDS if we were really wanting to concive, which is what I figured he would say. He felt like all my issues could be due to DS nursing, sine I had no trouble getting preggo with him.(although I did DD) he thinks maybe after I had DD that my system was straitend out, but I just have not had a chance to see that since I have been nursing or preggo for the last 4 years.

I did get preggo with DS when i was nursing DD who was 10 months old at the time. She was nursing 6 times a day at that point. So, for now, no Clomid untill DS is fully weaned, and he felt like I may nt even need it then.

So now I face the choice of letting DS continue to nurse, and keep hoping for the best, or to start gradually weaning. Neither choice is a great one for me.

Thanks everyone for listening, and giving me your input.

[Amy_G_]

give yourself some months.
I'll tell ya, if you get pg now, you'll be big thru a lot of the hottest months of the year. and that can be really horrible. ;) so do yourself a favor. If you wait to ttc until sometime after his 2nd birthday, with some weaning going on in there--you would be barely pregnant during those horribly hot months.
see there are advantages to waiting! ;)

[KatieLou]

Well, I have been through the hot months, and I will take a pregnacy anyime I can get it. I hear ya though! We will continue TTC without medical intervention and hope for the best.

[ima062002]

It suppresses lactation if taken right after giving birth. I don't know why someone would do that but they did test 60 women with this medication from giving birth to 4 days afterwards. I assume these were moms who didn't want to breastfeed and they agreed to use Clomid to see if it is effective. Clomid almost always totally inhibited lactation in the women who took it day 1, and it suppressed established lactation if taken at day 4. Only 7 out of 40 who took it to inhibit lactation had some milk. 20 women who took it day 4 had a rapid decline of the milk. After 5 days of taking it, no milk was present. There was another study of 177 women with similar outcome.

Hale says that the effects after several months are not known but believed to be minimal.

In adults Clomid can produce dizziness, insomnia, light-headedness, hot flashes, depression, headache, alopecia and enlarged ovaries.

If you want to try now, I would tell the pedi and monitor your baby and leave the OB out of the picture. There is no transfer and effects reported on the babies, but I don't know if those moms breastfed.

I must note here that I am not a doctor, but it is my understanding what Clomid does is to stimulate the release hormones needed for ovulation; something the body does naturally usually. Many moms who nurse ovulate. I can't see that this would be harmful for a nursing baby.

So if it were me, I would take the Clomid, rather than be miserable and a not so much fun mommy to be around :).

[Shaunsmom]

give yourself some months.
I'll tell ya, if you get pg now, you'll be big thru a lot of the hottest months of the year. and that can be really horrible. ;) so do yourself a favor. If you wait to ttc until sometime after his 2nd birthday, with some weaning going on in there--you would be barely pregnant during those horribly hot months.
see there are advantages to waiting! ;)

So, whatcha saying Amy?? I loved being pregnant thru the hot months:) lol.

DS was born 6-29 and it was HOT that month.

DD was born 8-8 and it was roasting hot the whole summer!!