• Exclusive Pumping 101
    • Exclusive Pumping Playbook
    • Weaning from the Pump
    • Free Sample Schedules
    • Free Email Course
    • Exclusive Pumping From Birth
    • Awards
    • Stories
  • Tips
  • Supply
    • Milk Supply Guide
  • Feeding
  • Work
    • Pumping at Work Jump Start
    • Back to Work Workbook
  • Health
  • Products
  • Shop
    • Guides
    • Discounts
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Site Index
  • Contact
  • Start Here

Exclusive Pumping

Home » Increasing Milk Supply » Domperidone and Increasing Milk Supply

Domperidone and Increasing Milk Supply

By Amanda Glenn, CLC. Last Updated October 21, 2020. Originally Posted October 21, 2020.

Domperidone is a prescription medication that can be used to increase milk supply when other methods haven’t worked. Is it effective, and is it safe? Here is everything you need to know about domperidone and increasing milk supply.

Does Domperidone Increase Milk Supply?

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll be compensated at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I love! More info here.

What is domperidone?

Domperidone (also called motilium) is a medication that is used to treat stomach disorders and prevent nausea and vomiting. One of its side effects is that, in some lactating women, it increases the amount of breast milk they produce.

In a 2010 study of mothers of premature infants who had experienced “lactation failure,” the women who took it saw in average breast milk volume increase of 267% compared to 18% for the group that took a placebo.

How does domperidone increase milk supply?

It’s likely that milk production is increased because domperidone increases the production of prolactin by the pituitary gland.

It does this by blocking dopamine (which decreases prolatin secretion). This results in more prolactin, and more breast milk.

How long does it take to work?

Most people that use it see increased milk supply within three to four days. Some women notice a difference much faster, within 24 hours; with others it may take several weeks.

What is the recommended dosage?

The recommended dosage is 30 mg three times per day, at about 8 hour intervals.

What are the side effects?

The side effects that have been noted are abdominal cramps, dry mouth, diarrhea, rash/itching, and a change to menstrual periods.

Is it safe to use? I heard the FDA blocked its use in the United States.

No drug (or herb) is without risk; for this reason, most breastfeeding experts recommend trying to remedy supply issues without prescription medication or herbal galactagogues if possible (through breast compressions, fixing latch or flange sizing issues, changing your pumping schedule, etc.)

As far as what happened with the FDA, this is somewhat controversial.

In 2004, the FDA issued a warning against domperidone because of the risk of cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac arrest:

“The agency is concerned with the potential public health risks associated with domperidone. There have been several published reports and case studies of cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, and sudden death in patients receiving an intravenous form of domperidone.”

The FDA also noted that domperidone is not approved specifically for lactation in any country and that the drug is secreted in breast milk.

However, some doctors and IBCLCs in the breastfeeding community responded in a consensus statement with the following:

“Domperidone has previously been implicated as causal in arrhythmias when given intravenously in doses higher than would ever be used orally. A warning advising against the use of domperidone by the Federal Drug Administration in the United States was published in 2004 based on the concern raised by high-dose intravenous administration of domperidone. Of note, among the patients referenced in this warning, the majority had co-morbid serious illnesses, were receiving chemotherapy, and/or were severely hypokalemic.”

So, the FDA says it’s not safe because of the risk of cardiac arrest; the breastfeeding community states that this risk is minimal given that the patients that has cardiac arrhythmias received very high doses (1,000mg intravenously) as opposed to what a breastfeeding mother would get (30mg orally). Also, the individuals who suffered from cardiac issues were already quite ill when they were given the medication.

I would obviously recommend talking to your doctor about this and any other concerns you have before moving forward.

How can I get domperidone?

If you do not live in the United States, it will be much easier – in many countries, like Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and Australia, your doctor can prescribe it and you can get it like any other medication.

If you do live in the United States, compounding pharmacies used to be an option, but the FDA got more oversight over them in 2013, and therefore, many no longer make the drug. However, if there is a compounding pharmacy near you, you can call and ask what their policy on making domperidone is.

Per Dr. Newman, who is a breastfeeding expert, the other option is ordering from an international pharmacy (here are the FDA regulations for doing this).

What are the alternatives if I can’t get it?

There is another prescription medication – Metoclopramide, also known as Reglan – that works very similarly to domperidone in that its “on label” use is treating nausea and vomiting, but it also inhibits dopamine and increases milk supply. This drug is approved by the FDA.

The downside to Reglan is that depression is a side effect. Since new mothers are susceptible to post-partum depression, taking a drug with this side effect may be contraindicated, especially if you have a family or personal history of depression.

Breastfeeding supplements and herbal galactagogues, like fenugreek and blessed thistle, are other options.

Is it safe for everyone to use?

When you get your prescriptions, you should confirm with your doctor that you can take it without any issues, and that there are no interactions with any other medications you may be taking.

Can I just stop taking it or should I wean off of it?

You should wean off of it. A sample weaning schedule is available here.

Do you have experience with domperidone and increasing milk supply? Please share it below!

References
  1. Campbell-Yeo, Marsha L., et. al. “Effect of Domperidone on the Composition of Preterm Human Breast Milk.” https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/1/e107?sso=1&sso_redirect_count=1&nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR%3a+No+local+token
  2. Newman, Jack, MD. “Domperidone, Getting Started.” https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/informations/domperidone-getting-started/
  3. FDA. “FDA Talk Paper: FDA Warns Against Women Using Unapproved Drug, Domperidone, to Increase Milk Production.” https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm173886.htm
  4. Flanders, Daniel, et. al. “A Consensus Statement on the Use of Domperidone To Support Lactation.” https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Domperidone_Consensus_Statement_May_11_2012-1.pdf
  5. Lactiful Education Team. “Reglan and Breastfeeding.” https://lactiful.com/blog/milk-supply-info/reglan-and-breastfeeding
  6. Baby Goo Roo. “Domperidone effective but unavailable in the U.S.” https://babygooroo.com/articles/domperidone-effective-but-unavailable-in-the-us
  7. Newman, Jack, MD. “Domperidone General Information.” https://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/domperidone_general.shtml
  • Share

Filed Under: Increasing Milk Supply

« Complete Beginner’s Guide to Using a Breast Pump
What Kind of Breast Pump Do You Need? »

Comments

  1. AnnieDuchene says

    September 26, 2019 at 4:26 am

    Your post has been most useful as compared to others. Domperidone works really well! I had a nice supply, but ended up really sick and had a bad spinal tap which caused horrible migraines that forced me to have to lay flat and it interfered with nursing my newborn. I got all worried and didn’t want him to suffer so I’ve found Domperidone on “Make24milk” (thanks Google). and it worked 👍. I had a huge over-supply! I could have fed triplets. We are now on our 14th month of breastfeeding with no end in sight lol. 😀

    Reply
  2. Leigh says

    April 25, 2019 at 12:17 am

    I keep reading different amounts. I had thought it was 10mg 3 times a day for a total of 30mg a day. I’m in the USA and just ordered it from a AUS company. Could you please let me know what I should be taking? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Amanda Glenn says

      April 25, 2019 at 7:59 am

      Hi Leigh! I’m not a doctor myself but this is my source:
      https://www.canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org/induced/domperidone_dosage.shtml

  3. Carrie G says

    April 16, 2019 at 2:30 pm

    Hi! I was wondering if anyone could help me, I got a prescription from my doctor (finally!) but I didn’t realize how expensive it was here in the USA. I’ve had friends who used canadadrugs.com before but I can’t find them anywhere now, what happened to them? Is there somewhere else I can look to try and get it from Canada? I heard they’re way cheaper! Any advice would be so helpful, thank you!

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    April 4, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    I used domperidone with my first baby when my supply tanked due to being back at work and unable to keep a regular pumping schedule. It was a lifesaver and allowed me to breastfeed until my daughter was 1.5yrs. I am in the US and used a compounding pharmacy. I’m currently feeding baby #2 and recently noticed a major dip in my pumping ability and considering taking it again. I am trying the herbal route first, but know that domperidone worked very well for me so will use it if needed.

    I’ve been increasing the time I pump, always do compressions, but sometimes life gets in the way.

    Reply
  5. Dianna says

    July 18, 2018 at 7:23 am

    I used Motilium (dom) to increase my milk production. It worked very well. It was a real saviour to me. I also take 3 tabs of Fenugreek twice daily and have oats for breakfast. Everyone should discuss the benefits and risks of this medication with your doctor.

    Reply
    • Brianna says

      February 16, 2019 at 2:07 am

      Do you live in the us?

  6. Sehrish Naseem says

    July 15, 2018 at 2:01 pm

    “Healthy Nursing Tea” was a life saver for my supply! I was barely pumping what my daughter ate while I was away and now I pump 3-5 ounces more!

    Reply
    • Judy Bowen says

      February 5, 2019 at 12:40 pm

      Thanks for great article. It’s very helpful and informative. “Healthy Nursing Tea” is good too. There are several things you can do to increase your supply (Just as I did with my milk supply). The first one is stimulation to the breasts. Make sure you put the baby on for every feeding and do NOT supplement. Supplementing is what a lot of mom’s do thinking they have to because the baby is “starving” but babies won’t starve. In fact, the more your baby nurses, the more milk you will produce. As far as medications go, you can take Fenugreek (an herbal supplement) or drink Healthy Nursing Tea to increase milk supply. I’ve been on Domperidone 3 pills, 3 times a day. So I’ve noticed a massive increase in the amount I’ve produced. And it shows when I pump. I get Domperidone (Motilium) from “domper4bf”. I also drink roughly 100oz of water a day. I take my pills before each meal. I think they work better if taken that way. Good luck and keep trying.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Amanda

Hi! I’m Amanda. I'm a Certified Lactation Counselor® and an experienced exclusive pumper. My goal is to help make exclusively pumping as easy as possible for you, so that you can enjoy your baby! This website is for educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice. Read More

As Featured In Buzzfeed, the Atlantic, Romper, San Diego Breastfeeding LLC

Let’s Be Friends

  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Exclusive Pumping Books by Amanda Glenn

Exclusive Pumping Playbook

Weaning from the Pump

Popular Posts

  • 4 Reasons You're Getting Little or No Milk When Pumping
  • Save or Dump: Can I Feed My Baby This Breast Milk?
  • How Much Milk Do Breastfed Babies Eat?
  • A Pain in the Boob: Clogged Milk Ducts and How to Clear Them
  • Power Pumping to Increase Milk Supply

Copyright © 2022 Exclusive Pumping LLC. All rights reserved. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • Facebook Group
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information