Menu

Breastfeeding and Progesterone therapy

by Emily
(USA)

Hi!!

I have a few questions in regards to using natural Progesterone cream. Let me give a little background so everyone can see the full picture. I had irregular periods as a teenager and was put on birth control pills at age 17 to induce periods every month. By age 26, I started to realize that this was NOT healthy and that I should try to get my body to do what it's supposed to do on it's own. I got off the BC pills and by month 3, I had my first cycle without BC in years. I felt very hormonally imbalanced. I cleaned up my diet and lifestyle and still just felt off hormonally. Mostly with my mood. I would have bouts of foggy headedness and anxiety. I started taking Maca which seemed to help some.

By age 28, i had come across Progesterone cream at a health food shop 2.7% and started it on days 16-28 or until a period started. I felt more balanced and happy! I decided to see a bio-identical hormone MD. She ran a full hormone panel via 24 hour urine and my Progesterone was extremely low, estrogens were in normal range and testosterone was low. She wanted to put me on compounded Progesterone cream 30mg on days 16-28 and also a compounded testosterone cream vaginally. I used this for about 2 years but got to the point where I felt better using the healthfood store version versus the compounded. I'm not sure my dosage, I would just lather about a 1/2-1tsp at morning and at bedtime.

Well at age 30, my husband and I found out we were expecting! We were so excited and surprised! I also found out that I had a uterine abnormality. I have a wall that separates my uterus into two sides. My OB wanted to put me on synthetic progestin shots and I asked if i could lather natural Progesterone cream throughout pregnancy and he do unltrasounds every two weeks to check for cervical changes. He agreed! So I used Progesterone cream the entire pregnancy and felt AMAZING! Pregnancy was beautiful without any complications! When I delivered, I got off Progesterone and my milk came in on day 4. I have successfully breast fed my sweet baby boy now for 13m but I have to say I have felt so hormonally off this entire postpartum year. Tired, anxious, worried about things I shouldn't worry about. It's like my mind is on overdrive.

I have started seeing a functional MD who specialises in nutrition and hormones and she said that she wouldn't do any Progesterone until I stopped breastfeeding but I don't see that coming anytime soon and would really like hear y'alls opinion on starting the Progesterone back. Also, what dosage?? I have read so many conflicting dosages. Some say postpartum only 15-20mg (John lee) and then 200mg?

Which Progesterone cream is best??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Comments for Breastfeeding and Progesterone therapy

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 21, 2017
 Breastfeeding and Progesterone Therapy
by: Joy

Hi Emily

Please read the Menstrual Cycle page, it will give you an idea why so many women experience problems with their cycle. Environmental Toxins have a lot to do with it sadly. So pleased that you realised the negative side effects of contraceptives which all have a potential to cause harm. The pill would have put you further into Estrogen Dominance hence your foggy brain and Anxiety. Maca, helps some women but not others. If it works, then great.

It is so important and difficult deciding what progesterone cream to use. There are many on the market today all different and all deliver different amounts of progesterone. Some come mixed with parabens and chemicals. Most compounded cream comes mixed with these as well as estrogen and or testosterone, not what any women needs. I have been using Natpro Progesterone Cream for 14 years now, I will never stop using it. It is all very well being told that your progesterone was low, which it probably was, and estrogen normal and testosterone low. What exactly were the test results? Any idea? I never accept to the words 'normal' or 'fine' from any doctor or lab, I insist on seeing the report. You know my thoughts on compounded creams, but to then suggest 30mg per day is incorrect. How strong was the progesterone in that cream? That amount is just enough to aggravate your estrogen receptors, again not what you needed. No women needs to take testosterone either and at such an early age!! Testosterone can lead to Insulin Resistance and cardiovascular disease.

I am so pleased that you decided on natural progesterone rather than progestin shots during your pregnancy and more than happy to read that your doctor was happy for you to do this. Why did you decide to stop using progesterone after the birth? Hormones go into a complete tizz after birth so I am not surprised that fell/felt hormonally off. You may also be suffering from a mild case of PND. It would have been far better if you had stayed on the progesterone. It has no negative effects when breastfeeding either. Progesterone is a calming hormone, so it would help you. I disagree with advice given by your specialist, what reason given for this? As long as the progesterone is organic with no 'nasties' as mentioned above, I see no reason for you not using it. I suggest 100mg Natpro per day. You may experience some of those dreaded estrogen dominance symptoms listed on the page, if they persist then increase to 200mg per day.

There is such confusion about dose which really stemmed from the late John Lee, who suggested 20-40mg per day. Now he and the late Dr Kittie Dalton who was the queen of progesterone especially when dealing with PND patients. They were always at loggerheads because she, being a woman knew what was needed and the correct amount to use. Every one has cottoned onto Dr Lee's advice, many not even bothering to read Dr Dalton's books or her advice. She specialised in the topic after all.

Do you know what your Vitamin D3 level is? A deficiency reduces the benefits of progesterone. You should have been taking it during pregnancy, perhaps you were. It is vital for the pregnant mother as well as the unborn child. It helps greatly with anxiety too. Co-factors are needed when taking it, these co-factors will help you too.

Please read the pages given to you below and the references as they will help you.

How to use Progesterone Cream
Estrogen Dominance
Contraceptives
Vitamin D3
Magnesium
Anxiety
Menstrual Cycle
Dr Kittie Dalton
Environmental Toxins
Testosterone

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Progesterone faq.

Share this page:
Find this page helpful? Please tell others. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search over 8,400 pages on this site...