Induced Lactation & Oxytocin

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There is a lot of evidence of people on the spectrum having lower levels of oxytocin than NTs. As it is one of the hormones necessary for the "let down" reflex related to lactation, I was curious if anyone has had any experience in inducing. I would think it would be easier to make oxytocin when a baby is involved, but if anyone has experience with postpartum nursing, that might be useful as well.

I've had two babies and breastfed them both. I never had a "spontaneous" letdown, never had any leaking or sudden lactation if I heard a baby cry, for example. My first baby was a poor latcher and really took to the bottle, so I mostly just pumped breastmilk with her. I had a terrible time keeping up my milk supply, even with fenugreek supplements.

My second baby was a great latcher and a hungry baby, so it was less difficult to keep up my milk supply but still it wasn't plentiful like other women's seem to be. I had enough to feed my babies but it was a lot of hard work, pumping every two hours, etc. I know women who banked enough during the first six months of their baby's life that they could serve their babies breast milk with every meal for the baby's first two-three years. That's a lot of milk.

I found that within three days of giving birth there was certainly a change in me - less anxiety, fewer stims, more patience. the midwives indicated that was probably due to the boost in oxytocin for my body to get milk started. Others also commented I seemed more happy and less introverted.

I would be interested in what the results of artificially induced lactation might be with aspie women.

There also seems to be a niche market for the stuff

I breastfed my daughter for 18 months. It wasn't easy at all. The only reason I managed to keep it going was because I kept telling myself I'd regret it and I have a very strong will. She wanted to suckle constantly and would only leave me alone for the few hours after dawn. But, after latching on, she'd fall asleep within minutes, then when I tried to remove her, she'd wake up again, start to suckle, drift off .... This could go on for 90 mins at a time and I don't think she got much milk, as she didn't gain much weight until she was on solids. I expressed every morning, so that I had a bottle for her 10.30pm feed, which was better for helping her to sleep. I never lactated spontaneously and really never needed breast pads - I've heard of some women dripping milk in the shower, but that was never an issue for me. I stopped feeding her 4 1/2 yrs ago and there's still some milk there, but it doesn't drip out.

Also, a few days after the birth I appeared to have 'kissed the Blarney Stone'. There was no shutting me up, but I also thought I was going slightly insane. The initial baby blues hit me really hard and I felt like crying constantly for about 3 days, but I don't believe I developed PND. I have definitely come out of shell since the birth of my daughter. I'm more like the real me, the way I was before I became painfully shy at around 7yrs.