I want to lactate

[2Wendy2]

Hi everyone!

I am MtF transgender, been on prescription hormones (E, P & S) for about 12 months, I was on internet purchased hormones for a few years before that (Prescription works much better BTW) I am at the higher end of the dosage range because I am not a petite girl. My test results come back almost textbook perfect.

I am really wanting to lactate, I have tried all the stuff I read on the internet (herbs, stimulation, breast pump etc) without success. I have once in a great while been able to get a few drops of sweet tasting liquid out of my nipple but that's about it.

So I turn to you guys for advice. Has your transition Doctor helped induce lactation? Has anyone ever asked them to? Do you think they would if I asked?

Thanks once again for your help!

Wendy

[Jasmine777]

Time is key.  At least every three hours  consistently.  I want to too. 


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[LShipley]

It is possible and there is something a doctor can prescribe for it that's kind of an offlabel use of a certain medication. I'm not sure I should say more though

[Lady_Oracle]

I've been successful with this. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

[valerie anne]

I would love to express my breast milk too!

I have been pumping regularly for over a year now (I am pumping as I post), but I am still more or less dry.

I am using a dual hospital grade pump, and I get sucked really hard, it hurts.

I am really titty, I have got significant breast volume and my nipples feel really heavy.

I can't go without a bra for support, and I wear nipple shields to prevent the bra from pushing my nipples back.

I have had a few discharges, but nothing that I could claim to be feminine breast milk.

When pumping, I feel so subservient & submissive, all I want is to be sucked dry! 

[Lady_Oracle]

Pumping shouldnt ever hurt, if it does then you need to ease back else you're causing damage/unnecessary bruising which makes achieving actual lactation way more difficult than it needs to be. The same goes for hand expressing (marmet technique) which is technically the next best thing apart from actual suckling. Pumping is like the least effective way to induce lactation but it helps a ton if you do it in conjunction with hand stimulation.

[Alora]

Pumping shouldnt ever hurt, if it does then you need to ease back else you're causing damage/unnecessary bruising which makes achieving actual lactation way more difficult than it needs to be. The same goes for hand expressing (marmet technique) which is technically the next best thing apart from actual suckling. Pumping is like the least effective way to induce lactation but it helps a ton if you do it in conjunction with hand stimulation.

What is the best way to achieve lactation?


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[Lady_Oracle]

If you're going to do this please at least let your doctor know.

There's a bunch of ways to go about it. The key elements are sticking to a routine, proper diet and vitamins (makes a huge difference), lots of water and making sure you do not miss a session. A routine is basically every 3-4 hrs, you spend about 10-15min on each breast stimulating them with marmet technique which includes expressing your breasts. Lactation is all about supply and demand. So you have to trigger the demand function in your brain to let your breasts know to produce milk. Thats essentially the gist of it.

As trans women though we face unique challenges. For example its better to wait until your breasts are at least past the early stages of development so they're more receptive to inducing. But the way I've managed to be successful is not only were my breasts more or less fully developed (were in between stages 4-5) I've been on progesterone for close to 5 years now and so my breasts have developed plenty of milk glands and all the proper tissue.  The other challenge is being on AAs and dealing with the dryness that comes with that. Inducing takes a heavy toll on the body and saps your vitamins fast so you have to be able to keep a diet that can easily supplement that loss. Also expressing your breasts in itself will dry you out once you start getting closer to producing milk.

[Alora]

As trans women though we face unique challenges. For example its better to wait until your breasts are at least past the early stages of development so they're more receptive to inducing. But the way I've managed to be successful is not only were my breasts more or less fully developed (were in between stages 4-5) I've been on progesterone for close to 5 years now and so my breasts have developed plenty of milk glands and all the proper tissue.

So for those of us that haven't started HRT yet (but hopefully soon, otherwise I have to wait till June) can I/we still do the massaging to create the habit? How long does it take to get to stage 4/5?

Thanks


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[Lady_Oracle]

So for those of us that haven't started HRT yet (but hopefully soon, otherwise I have to wait till June) can I/we still do the massaging to create the habit? How long does it take to get to stage 4/5?

Thanks


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Yeah you totally can, inducing is a long and strenuous process, it takes a lot of work. Also you can still lactate at the early stages, its just not as great since the structure in the breast isn't fully there. The most I got prehrt was just clear fluid. I reached those stages within the typical timeline which was about 3-4 years or so but I started hrt young so thats probably a factor. If you're older it might take a bit longer than average and your genetics obviously play a role too. And some of us take even longer to reach stage 5, like years and years. Full breast development can take as long as a decade.

[Angélique LaCava]

Why would you want to lactate?

[Rikigirl]

You do need to develop your breasts, but more importantly you also need to increase your Prolactin higher and higher as with pregnancy. There are some other hormone changes that help! Are you aware of the use of Domperidone also called Motilium. These tablets assist adoptive mothers to breast feed their adopted baby. Message me if you need/want more information.

[Lucie]

Why would you want to lactate?

I ask myself the same question.
Or perhaps those who want to lactate have the opportunity to breastfeed a baby ?

Edit: I must add that I would personally love to breastfeed a baby !

[archlord]

Since a few week  tip of my nipples are white . Has it anything to do with lactations ? Never tried

[AnonyMs]

Here's an interesting link, I hope its ok to post it (I don' think the others I have are).

Trans Women and Breastfeeding: A Personal Interview
http://www.milkjunkies.net/2013/05/trans-women-and-breastfeeding-personal.html

[Alora]

I ask myself the same question.
Or perhaps those who want to lactate have the opportunity to breastfeed a baby ?

Edit: I must add that I would personally love to breastfeed a baby !

Eventually, I am going to adopt. I'd love to adopt a new born and breastfeeding is definitely something that I want to be able to do.


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[Lady_Oracle]

The reasons why I started this process was because..

1. This is the closest I can to being pregnant so it brings some peace to that part of my life and how I feel about my body.
2. I plan on being a mom one day so I would like to be able to breast feed
3. I figured if I started now then by the time I do start a family, I'll be able to induce no problem. Inducing takes a lot of time and effort. Its a very long process that takes years and not easy to do by any means.

Progesterone was key for me. Some cis women use herbs, some use birth control pills, then there's specific drugs, even a combination of all of those or nothing at all and do it solely through breast stimulation but the premise is that you trick your body into thinking its pregnant by simulating the same conditions. If you use P then you have to basically be on it for at least 9months to a year then abruptly stop to mimic the postpartum phase (E & P levels drop sharply). Thats more or less how I started the process and I've done it with progesterone only, no herbs or any other drugs.

[2Wendy2]

Thank you everyone for the tips, most of them I have tried with no luck, I would really like to know if any of you have asked your doctor for prescription help and what their response was.

I did send my doctor an email asking for a prescription so we'll see what happens tomorrow....

Wendy

[2Wendy2]

Thanks AnonyMs 

Wendy

[Lucie]

Here's an interesting link, I hope its ok to post it (I don' think the others I have are).

Trans Women and Breastfeeding: A Personal Interview

Thank you very much AnonyMs, this is a really interesting testimony.