RELACTATING- Gave up BF @3wks, she latched herself on this morning!

[lisa1980]

This thread is great.

I'm so glad it's going well for you. Totally ignore any negativity - it's no-one else's business and it's a wonderful thing that you're managing to do.

I'll be excitedly checking for updates

 

[TheNewMrs]

Here's what's working for us.

1-latch- I let her do her own thing. I strip her down to nappy, take her into bed when I'm top half naked and semi laid back propped up with pillows. Keep her on my chest or close to my heart. She will take a few goes but she finds the nipple herself and latches on and sucks. SUCESS!

2-feeding for hours- again, she knows what she's doing. I let her feed as long as will stay on. Sometimes 30mins, sometimes
2hrs!! If she's getting frustrated that my breasts are empty and she's digging her face in trying to get milk then I'll offer her formula. Let her rest for 2hrs. Give me a chance to eat too, and then start again 2hrs later. If she's showing no interest in breast I'll pump either way, it's essential to empty the breast as best I can every 2hrs to rebuild my milk supply. The emptier the breast, the quicker it will refill and build the supply-so I believe.

3-I need to run errands- well some things just need to wait! I am determined to Breastfeed. Today we had quite literally no groceries left. We had my 6wk check at hosp and I had to post a parcal. Well the hosp was easy. She was sleeping. Tesco? Well I was sat in the car, for 90mins before I made it inside. Offering each side then a bottle. I watched women go in come out and drive off. But i kept reminding myself why i am doing this. We missed the post office. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not.

4-night time? Well I give her a bottle at about 12. Tonight though she was on the breast from 9-11.50 then fell asleep. She just woke now. Do I gave her a bottle &pumped. I got less than half an oz. on both. Pumping for 15mins each side! I figure I need my sleep to be able to do this during the day. So when my supply is boosted enough to cut the bottles during the day, I'll keep pumping. Then give her expressed milk at night. Hopefully. Well see how it goes.

I will not give up this time until I have done my very best by my baby.

 

[W8ing4ours]

This is a wonderful thread, what a beautiful story of a mom and her love for her baby. This thread brought tears to my eyes, way to go mom!!

 

[ashley2pink]

Really sounds like you are doing great! Best thing is she is latching. Hoping you get a full supply, but even if not it really is not all about the milk. So much is about the nursing relationship even if you do top-ups. Breastfeeding is breastfeeding as long as she latches and sucks!

 

[ljo1984]

Aw your doing fantastic, you have the determination and commitment right there, you will make it. Are you co sleeping at all? That might help on a night if she wakes you can still latch her and have a doze. I co sleep with Freya after she wakes for her first feed around 5 so not all night. I'm sure being so close helps with supply too. Xx

 

[TheNewMrs]

Aw your doing fantastic, you have the determination and commitment right there, you will make it. Are you co sleeping at all? That might help on a night if she wakes you can still latch her and have a doze. I co sleep with Freya after she wakes for her first feed around 5 so not all night. I'm sure being so close helps with supply too. Xx

I wasnt cosleeping till last night. I usually had her in the Moses basket right next to me with the angel care mat as I lost a brother to SIDS and cosleeping kinda freaked me out. We have a super king bed so I took her in last night. She was feeding for over an hour on and off on each breast and didn't seem frustrated. So I left her to it. Fed her laying down and I think we both dozed on and off. Coz we'd been feeding from about 1.30-3am then she woke again at 5. Hubby offered her formula first at 5am and his laugh woke me
Up! He was in fits. When I sat up, I saw her little face all squinched up and smacking with a disgusted look on her face at the taste of formula...

So of course hubby tasted the formula, then HAD to have a taste of my milk and said he's not surprised, my milk is SO sweet.. So we were feeding all night pretty much. I'm so sleepy! She's asleep now face planted on to boob and hands above and below boob as if she's stating "back off these are mine!" lol

 

[nickyXjayno]

well done! do you pump at night too? I found if I let my breasts get slightly engorged by not pumping for about 4 hours & then totally drained them my supply shot up. I had to pump for 6 weeks then started full breastfeeding. he was on both sides & took forever to feed. now he has one side & is done in about 15 minutes.

 

[TheNewMrs]

well done! do you pump at night too? I found if I let my breasts get slightly engorged by not pumping for about 4 hours & then totally drained them my supply shot up. I had to pump for 6 weeks then started full breastfeeding. he was on both sides & took forever to feed. now he has one side & is done in about 15 minutes.

I wasn't pumping at night. She was feeding last at 1am ish till about 5am or 6am. Last night she wasn't too keen on formula, it took forever to feed her. I might persevere with the formula tonight and pump in the morning about 5 and see if that will boost it for us? Thank you for sharing with me. I really appreciate any advice or personal experience..

 

[ljo1984]

Ha ha bless her I can imagine her little face! Imogen had formula after 7 months (although I still fed her as well), and I don't blame them for preferring bm either! Although I think the cartons rather than powder tasted a bit better.
We have a super king too but with a toddler in middle doing cartwheels there's not much room still ha ha.

 

[Bid]

Please don't stop feeding at night, these are the most important feeds. The levels of the hormone responsible for milk production (prolactin) is highest in the early hours of the morning, so feeding as much as possible overnight will signal your body to produce more milk. If you don't feed or pump at all during these times in the first few weeks, it can effect your supply.

Keep up the good work, it brought a tear to my eye reading your story. Only another mum can understand how special breastfeeding is

 

[CatandKitten]

Just adding, if you like oatmeal give it a try as as a snack or breakfast. It is supposed to help boost supply, I dont need it but the day after I eat oatmeal for breakfast I wake up super full of milk.

If nothing else it is a good excuse to eat some (oatmeal) cookies!

 

[lisa1980]

Just adding, if you like oatmeal give it a try as as a snack or breakfast. It is supposed to help boost supply, I dont need it but the day after I eat oatmeal for breakfast I wake up super full of milk.

If nothing else it is a good excuse to eat some (oatmeal) cookies!

I second this. I bought some porridge last week and have had it for breakfast every day and now my boobs are like water (milk!) cannons Poor LO is drowning in the stuff

I hadn't put two and two together until you mentioned it but it makes sense.

 

[TheNewMrs]

Please don't stop feeding at night, these are the most important feeds. The levels of the hormone responsible for milk production (prolactin) is highest in the early hours of the morning, so feeding as much as possible overnight will signal your body to produce more milk. If you don't feed or pump at all during these times in the first few weeks, it can effect your supply.

Keep up the good work, it brought a tear to my eye reading your story. Only another mum can understand how special breastfeeding is

Thanks for your reply. I read this today. So I guess night time feeding is the way to go for us...

 

[TheNewMrs]

Just adding, if you like oatmeal give it a try as as a snack or breakfast. It is supposed to help boost supply, I dont need it but the day after I eat oatmeal for breakfast I wake up super full of milk.

If nothing else it is a good excuse to eat some (oatmeal) cookies!

Thank you! I stocked up on the porridge today!

 

[TheNewMrs]

Anyone know anything about Fennel Tea and the results of it?!

 

[ljo1984]

I'm not sure about the tea but I know fenugreek also increases supply (although I've never tried it), you can get capsules from health food stores. And keep drinking water, that will help too. Xxx

 

[TheNewMrs]

I'm not sure about the tea but I know fenugreek also increases supply (although I've never tried it), you can get capsules from health food stores. And keep drinking water, that will help too. Xxx

I must pick up some tomorrow.

 

[Bid]

I was drinking fennel tea to help with LO's wind and had to quit because it was making my already-oversupplied boobs even worse - didn't realise it increases supply until I happened across a post about it on here! So it's worth a try and it tastes quite nice too once you get used to it (especially if you add some sugar or honey)

 

[TheNewMrs]

I was drinking fennel tea to help with LO's wind and had to quit because it was making my already-oversupplied boobs even worse - didn't realise it increases supply until I happened across a post about it on here! So it's worth a try and it tastes quite nice too once you get used to it (especially if you add some sugar or honey)

Aw Yeay! I bought some yesterday. ( I am on a mission!) it tastes really nice too! So we'll stick with it and the oats and hopefully we'll have an abundant supply in no time!

 

[TheNewMrs]

So it's 3.50am and shes starting to fuss at the right side now although it's almost empty. It's taken about 30 mins and 4latches which is a huge improvement. I haven't managed to pump yesterday as she was on the breast at least every two hours. There was nothing to pump! She seems to know what she's doing. I'm also offering her formula every 4hours too. She'll take about 3oz max!! She doesn't appear to enjoy the taste though.

I've also noticed she's using me as a pacifier. Which is fine because any suckling will stimulate milk production right?