Thanks for sharing your question with EmpowHER's community and welcome to our site!
Lactation, the production of milk in mammary glands, occurs naturally for pregnant women to feed their babies. It's most common for pregnant women to produce milk, but it is also possible for women who are not pregnant to produce milk as well.
Typically women who are able to successfully produce breast milk without being pregnant do it with a combination of hormone therapy and physical stimulation of their nipples and breasts.
When a woman is pregnant, her levels of the hormones estrogen, prolactin and progesterone increase to help prepare the breasts to make milk. Non-pregnant women can take hormones to mimic the production of breast milk. But I recommend speaking with your doctor first about what types of hormones would be safest for you. You can also try stimulation your breasts on a regular basis with the help of your partner to try and produce milk.
May we ask why you are interested in lactating while not pregnant?
Again, if you go the hormone route, it is recommended to speak with a doctor as every woman is different and too much of some hormones can be dangerous.
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Hi Anon,
Thanks for sharing your question with EmpowHER's community and welcome to our site!
Lactation, the production of milk in mammary glands, occurs naturally for pregnant women to feed their babies. It's most common for pregnant women to produce milk, but it is also possible for women who are not pregnant to produce milk as well.
Typically women who are able to successfully produce breast milk without being pregnant do it with a combination of hormone therapy and physical stimulation of their nipples and breasts.
When a woman is pregnant, her levels of the hormones estrogen, prolactin and progesterone increase to help prepare the breasts to make milk. Non-pregnant women can take hormones to mimic the production of breast milk. But I recommend speaking with your doctor first about what types of hormones would be safest for you. You can also try stimulation your breasts on a regular basis with the help of your partner to try and produce milk.
May we ask why you are interested in lactating while not pregnant?
Again, if you go the hormone route, it is recommended to speak with a doctor as every woman is different and too much of some hormones can be dangerous.
Best,
November 6, 2016 - 5:29pmErin
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