photo of Lenore Goldfarb

The Protocols for Induced Lactation — A Guide for Maximising Breastmilk Production
By Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC and Lenore Goldfarb, PhD, CCC, IBCLC, ALC

Based on the original Induced Lactation Protocol conceived and published by Jack Newman MD


Special Birth Control Pill

Check with your doctor before beginning any medication.

It is important to find a birth control pill that is at least equivalent to Ortho 1/35 (1 mg norethindrone + 0.035 mg ethinyl estradiol). But if a higher progesterone content is available, it would be preferable.

Acceptable birth control pills include:

Note: It is extremely important that the mother’s doctor understand that the birth control pill is not being used to control menses but rather to develop the milk making apparatus of the breasts. This is why the birth control pill must contain at least 1 mg of progesterone (2-3 mg is better) and no more than 0.035 mg of estrogen. Many women have found that higher doses of estrogen to be ineffective. The birth control pill must be taken non-stop, only active pills, no sugar pills, for the duration of the protocol.

The longer the time a mother spends inducing lactation by taking the birth control pill together with the domperidone, the longer the milk making apparatus of her breasts will have time to prepare for milk production. It normally takes 9 months for a baby to gestate and during that time the milk making apparatus of the mother’s breasts are being prepared for lactation. For this reason, 6-9 months, on the combination of the birth control pill and domperidone, before baby is expected to arrive produces the best results.

For the Accelerated Protocol and Menopause Protocol it is highly recommended to use Microgestin 1/30 in place of the Ortho 1/35 because the Microgestin contains 1.5 mg of progesterone as opposed to the 1 mg of progesterone in the Ortho 1/35. The estrogen content is the same in the three medications. Many women have found that when the Microgestin is substituted for the Ortho 1/35, breast changes occur more rapidly and more effectively which is desirable when time is of the essence. Microgestin is available in the US and several other countries worldwide. It is sometimes marketed as Loestrin.

Several women have expressed concern about the hormones in the birth control pills. They have found it helpful when it is pointed out that the hormones that are contained in the birth control pills are minuscule compared to the hormone levels that a woman normally achieves during a pregnancy. The hormone levels necessary to achieve breast changes are minute compared to the levels necessary to support gestation.

Newman-Goldfarb Protocols for Induced Lactation © 2002-2010

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