Oxytocin Nasal Spray and Breastfeeding Frequency

[jmeyer]

Around week 5 of my new baby's life, I began having issues with my MER. My milk suddenly stopped letting down, despite having full breasts. My lactation consultant recommended I get a prescription for an oxytocin nasal spray to help. My OB perscribed the following:

Oxytocin Nasal Spray
40 Units/ML
Use 1-2 sprays twice a day as directed

I've noticed I have a good let down when I use this spray roughly 2-3 minutes prior to breastfeeding/pumping. However, when I don't use it, I still have no natural let down. I have to work extremely hard to massage my breasts to get any milk out, and I don't see a change in how my son is sucking/swallowing (little to no swallows).

A few questions:
1. Is it safe to use this hormone more often throughout the day (even at every feeding/pumping) to ensure a good letdown?
2. Are there any side effects to me or my newborn (now 7 weeks old) in doing so?
3. Are there other natural ways to get my milk to let down without having to use this spray (I've tried deep breathing, relaxation, positive thoughts, sweet foods, warm compresses)

I'm sincerely grateful for any advice/help you can provide. I'm determined to give my child the best by breastfeeding him for as long as is realistically possible.

Thanks,
Jennifer

[admin]

jmeyer:

We do not know much about the complications, if any, of the chronic use of intranasal oxytocin. Some do suggest that such use may lead to a state that you simply can't have a letdown without using it. But it seems you are already there, so I don't know that we need to worry about that.

My suggestion is to continue on using it as you need it to have letdowns. Oxytocin is a normal nonapeptide in the human being, and it is released normally for many functions other than letdowns. To answer your questions:
1) I think it is probably safe, but I doubt anyone knows definitively if it is totally safe. But I personally think it is quite safe.
2) This peptide is normally found in exceedingly low levels in milk anyway, and it is more than likely totally unabsorbed in the normal infant gut. I doubt it would ever harm an infant.
3) I know of no other mechanism to have a letdown. Some other may, but I do not.

Tom Hale Ph.D.

[charisanicole]

oxytocin outcome?

Hi there!

My name is Chari.

I know the thread you posted about using oxytocin nasal spray is several years old. However you are the first person I've heard of that had the same problem as me. I'm trying to figure out what is next... I would really appreciate any info!

What was the final outcome? Did you just continue on oxytocin until weaning? ooor?

My baby was 8 weeks old when my natural let down just stopped. Last week I didn't have the spray yet, so I would be engorged and not be able to get the milk out, so now I have mastitis. Oxytocin spray is working for me now, but I'm curious if I'm going to have to blow it up my nose every time I breastfeed/pump until he weans. What worked for you?

Just really curious...

thanks in advance for your help and info.

Chari

[Lynda Meyer]

Hi, I am new to this site but wanted to share my 45 year old experience. When my second baby was born my (new) OB just gave me Rx for oxytocin nasal spray and told me to use it each time I fed my baby and it would be more comfortable when the milk let down. It worked like a charm and I used it for quite awhile but then didn't need lt any more and my friend had a baby so I gave it to her and she used it and loved it. I know, eeewww, right? But it was1970 and we were all poor etc. As far as how it may or may not have effected my son, he is now 45 years old and except for some gray hair and needing reading glasses he seems pretty darned okay. Hope this helps. Not for Chari as she is probably good to go by now, but for the next Mom out there. In 2015 we have WAY too much to worry about, don't we?