Bupropion- milk supply discrepancy

[britkslater@yahoo.com]

Hi there! Thank you for this wonderful site and your efforts to helping nursing parents. We appreciate you.
I have been exclusively breastfeeding my 7 month old. I’ve been on 30 mg of Celexa my entire pregnancy and through these 7 months and, I am also newly on Bupropion aka Wellbutrin 150 xl. I’m only on day 3 of bupropion but it appears my milk supply is dipping.’ Given that this med increases dopamine, which technically attempts to block (for lack of a better description) prolactin, it makes sense that my supply would dip. Yet, how come it seems a large amount of women have an increase supply or unchanged supply while on this med?
Also, will my milk supply replenish or should I discontinue this med with the supervision of my doctor?
Thank you for your help!

[nicholec]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful question—and for doing your research! I love that you’ve read up on this. You're absolutely right that bupropion can impact dopamine levels, which in turn may influence prolactin and, potentially, milk supply.

We have heard from many women who notice a mild dip in supply after starting Wellbutrin, but in most cases, it's not enough to significantly affect their baby’s intake. Reports of increased milk supply on this medication are much less common and not well understood—it could be related to individual hormone responses or other factors like improved mood and energy, which may support overall breastfeeding practices.

Sometimes, Wellbutrin can cause decreased appetite, so focusing on keeping up your fluid intake and making sure you're getting enough calories can make a difference in maintaining your supply.

It’s hard to predict whether supply will “level out,” but if the dip is not too dramatic, many parents find things stabilize within a couple of weeks. If Wellbutrin is something you're taking for your mental health—and it sounds like you're working closely with your doctor—I would encourage giving it a little time before making any big changes. Your well-being is incredibly important, and many babies continue to breastfeed successfully even with small fluctuations in supply.