Metoclopramide for increasing breast milk supply (1703)

(Reglan®)

Reason for prescribing

Metoclopramide is a medicine often used for vomiting or gastrointestinal esophageal reflux (GER). It is also used to increase breast milk supply. Reglan can help release more prolactin hormone.

Prolactin is a hormone released from your brain after childbirth. It travels in your blood to the breast cells. In the breast cells, Prolactin stimulates milk to be produced during breastfeeding or pumping.

Description

• This medicine comes as a tablet. Each tablet contains 10 mg of metoclopramide.
• Brand names include Reglan.

How and when to give the medicine

Your doctor or nurse will tell you how and when to take this medicine. If you have questions, ask the doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

• Do not let anyone else take this medicine.
• Use the schedule below for taking this medicine unless your doctor or nurse tells you to use a different schedule.

Day 1: Take 1 tablet

Day 2: Take 2 tablets. One in the morning and one in the evening.

Days 3 to 10: Take 3 tablets. One in the morning, one mid-day and one in the evening.

Day 11: Take 2 tablets. One in the morning and one in the evening. 

Day 12: Take 1 tablet

How to take this medicine

This medicine may be taken with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take it with food or milk. It is best to take it the same way each time.

Possible side effects

No side effects for babies have been reported when breastfeeding mothers are taking this medicine. Possible side effects include:

• Feeling sleepy or tired. 
• Not able to fall asleep. 
• Muscle spasms or tremors. 
• In rare cases, depression or anxiety may occur.
• Feeling restless.
• Feeling dizzy
• Upset stomach. 
• Headache.
• Nausea.
• Diarrhea. This is rare.

If you have these or other side effects, tell the doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

General information:

• If you forget to take the medicine, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is time to take the next dose, skip the missed dose and get back on schedule. Do not take two doses at the same time.
• Call the doctor, nurse or pharmacist before you take any other medicine.
• Do not take this medicine if you have a history of seizures or breast cancer. Talk to your doctor right away if you have had seizures or breast cancer.
• This medicine should not be used for more than 2 weeks. Talk to your doctor about continued use of this medicine.
• Keep this medicine out of the reach of children.

For more information

https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents