Normal to still have breast milk?
Question
I am a 24 year old with two children whose ages are 5 and 3. I haven’t been pregnant since I had my youngest son but I still have milk in my breast. My husband and I would like to have another baby. I haven’t been on any birth control in 6 years. I have not been able to get pregnant and I heard that producing breast milk can be a natural birth control. Could it be true that breast milk may be stopping me from getting pregnant?Gwen
Answer
Last Updated: July 10, 2013
Dear Gwen:
Some women will continue to spontanteously lactate either on one side or both, although at a much reduced rate. I would be concerned though that you are continuing to lactate because the hormone prolactin is elevated. Prolactin is produced in the brain. Sometimes people will develop a benign tumor called a prolactinoma which causes this increase. Your doctor will know what to check in this regard.
Be sure to review anything that you may be taking which may affect you. There are many herbal products, teas, and “health” products on the market which have not undergone stingent testing. While they may not have bad effects, these products may have unknown side effects such as you are seeing.
Dr. Gretchen Marsh
Some women will continue to spontanteously lactate either on one side or both, although at a much reduced rate. I would be concerned though that you are continuing to lactate because the hormone prolactin is elevated. Prolactin is produced in the brain. Sometimes people will develop a benign tumor called a prolactinoma which causes this increase. Your doctor will know what to check in this regard.
Be sure to review anything that you may be taking which may affect you. There are many herbal products, teas, and “health” products on the market which have not undergone stingent testing. While they may not have bad effects, these products may have unknown side effects such as you are seeing.
Dr. Gretchen Marsh
Answered By:
Gretchen Marsh, D.O.
Dr. Marsh graduated from Western University of Health Sciences in 1987 in Pomona, CA and is board certified in Family Medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. She has been certified as a NaProTechnology® Medical Consultant (NaPro) and Creighton model Fertility Care System (CrMS) teacher since 2001. She and her husband, Jon, have 5 sons and live in the Reno region, where she sees patients in person, in addition to her telehealth services offered via MyCatholicDoctor.com
