Is my spontaneous lactation a medical concern?

September 7, 2012 10:54 PM

How long does non-pregnancy lactation need to last before it becomes a concern?

YANMD, TINMA. I held my newborn niece (6 days old) this past Sunday, and I've been lactating slightly ever since. Slightly=noticeable drops of milk if I squeeze my breasts/nipples, nothing otherwise. I just got a pregnancy test today to confirm I'm not pregnant. I'm on many medications, but haven't added any in the last three months, though I have gone off Wellbutrin. How long does lactation need to last before it becomes a "go see a doctor" concern? I have insurance, but we're too broke for co-pays currently, so if this is a natural reaction to holding an infant, I'd rather not spend $25 I don't have.

posted by epj to Health & Fitness (7 answers total)

I've had this for years. The three doctors I've had in that time frame haven't been concerned. I get my hormone levels checked every year to make sure it's nothing serious, though.
posted by third word on a random page at 11:38 PM on September 7, 2012

I have this occasionally, as well, and no one's ever been concerned. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
posted by MeghanC at 12:11 AM on September 8, 2012

Galactorrhea (lactation unrelated to nursing) may occur in up to a third of all women*, and the root cause is never established in half the cases. It's usually benign. SSRIs are sometimes indicative, and even though Wellbutrin is not strictly an SSRI, a doctor would be interested to see that you had been taking it and then stopped. Stress can also be a cause. It's not exactly a normal reaction to holding an infant, but that could have triggered it if other stimuli were present. If you don't encourage it by further stimulation, it should go away after a while. If it persists or becomes a nuisance, you should have it checked out, because it could be a sign of pituitary problems.

*The uncertainty stems from different definitions of what galactorrhea is.
posted by ubiquity at 4:34 AM on September 8, 2012

Oh, and seconding the young rope-rider, if you want it to go away, don't stimulate them. Especially don't keep squeezing them to see if they're still lactating.
posted by ubiquity at 4:39 AM on September 8, 2012

I think it's lasting this long primarily because you're poking at them to see what'll happen. I wouldn't worry, but I'd also keep my hands off for a while, as it were.
posted by SMPA at 7:33 AM on September 8, 2012

You should, to be safe, have your prolactin levels checked with some lab work. While usually benign, lactation unrelated to nursing might indicate other things.
posted by dchrssyr at 11:00 AM on September 8, 2012

2nding having your prolactin levels checked. I had a scare with this symptom plus my periods stopped, thought it was BCP-related. But I had high prolactin, which, in my case, indicated a benign tumor growing in my pituitary (this is quite common). Got meds, take them, now I'm normal (and feel better).
posted by agregoli at 6:11 PM on September 10, 2012