To induce lactation, you need to be on high enough levels of estradiol and progesterone for several months,
at least, perhaps even longer so that your breasts develop enough (ducts and milk glands inside the breast) to be able to produce and distribute enough milk. Estradiol and progesterone will both naturally increase prolactin levels so you don't need to take anything else that increases prolactin. My levels are around 80-130 ng/ml (typical of pregnant and breastfeeding women), on just estrogen and progesterone. Bio-identical hormones are safest so it's best to stay away from birth control pills. Herbs aren't necessary and can cause side-effects as well if you don't know what you're doing.
Once your breasts are properly developed, then hormones should be stopped as these inhibit milk production so as long as estrogen and/or progesterone are present, milk production will be little to absent (i.e. colostrum, yellow), despite high prolactin levels, as is the case during pregnancy, usually.
Upon hormone discontinuation, nipple stimulation, every few hours, will stimulate prolactin and oxytocin production, which promote milk production and ejection, respectively.
Lactating may result in calcium/phosphorus loss so that it is important to keep an eye on these things and consume enough dairy or other products to keep up with the demand and not have decalcification/bone loss. Vitamin D is important. A multivitamin should help.
As always, please discuss and share all this information with a competent doctor and have them be on board with you, supervise you, take the appropriate blood/physical tests. You need to also be patient. Best of luck.
