Relactation

[brownhairedmom]

I've been reading on this. I'm mourning the fact that I couldn't breastfeed her...both because it hurt too much to hold her because of my section and that I didn't get enough support at the hospital. I really didn't want to end up giving her a bottle but every plan I had went to hell in the hospital and I was really discouraged over it all so I didn't try hard enough.

Has anyone tried relactation and been successful at it? How did you go about it?

 

[Mervs Mum]

I dont know about relactation but I know its possible and I've read about it on here I think. The LC who helped me when I was struggling said even a woman who has not had a baby can BF using the same techniques you'll probably use!!!

I just wanted to say good for you!!!! I absolutely LOVE BFing and even though it was a hard slog early on I am so glad I'm still doing it. I was going to feed till Christmas but if things stay as they are there's no way I'm stopping yet!!!

Good luck Rae

 

[Serene123]

I still had milk but I managed to get from one feed to fully BF, so if you go for it, good luck!!

 

[dannyboygirl]

yes i didnt really start breastfeedinf full time til a few days ago i just pumped to keep the flow of my milk n i supplemented with formula...breastfeeding is hard especially after a c section girl i know...she only wanted the bottle then i cut her off cold turkey like the dr said then she started to latch again...you can always try again girl or pump in a bottle..try again its frustrating for both of u cuz ur both trying something new..

 

[ryder]

I tred. but she was too fussy etc and it was too frustrating. good luck though

 

[Lucy&Pard]

I relactated but not from nothing I did have milk but it barely satisifed him and it has only just started to match what my LO needs and I have been b/feeding completely now for 5 weeks. I had sore nipples - the pain was like cut glass everytime I fed him and I cried all the time and then I got mastitus in both sides and couldnt feed plus I was so fevery I couldnt pick him up and for a week he had to have formula ( I cried and cried about this) whilst I was put on really strong antibiotics. What I did was firstly start drinking lots more water and juices etc and get either Fenugreek or Brewers Yeast tablets this seems to increase milk production or I have heard the old raspberry leaf tea works too but I havent read up about it so I am not sure whether its safe etc. I bought some cartons of formula rather than powder as after you have been breastfeeding the last thing you want to do is start making up bottles. Use a breast pump - this is now your best friend! Start feeding you LO - please make sure you are latching on correctly even if you have to restart the feed from scratch 50 times as you'll only end up in the same position. In my experience the pain I had from sore nipples gave me so much fear that I tensed up when I started to feed even though it didnt hurt anymore and this effects let down so you need to really relax. I still now have a diagram on how to latch next to my chair! Have a bottle of formula ready next to you warmed up. Start feeding and then when he looks like he has finished or fusses because there is nothing there give him the formula but you need to express the empty boob! Apparently this is the best way to nudge your brain that baby needs milk and there isnt any! Its so hard to express and feed at the same time and soemtimes I just did it after even if I had to have baby over shoulder and expressing whilst walking around! If you have someone else around use them to feed the baby the bottle. All the literture I read on this said to gradually wean them off the bottle such as one less a day but in my experience it is such a delicate process that it just came naturally but took a good week or 2 before he staretd to fall asleep after just a breastfeed and I started to have an unused bottle next to me! But it was the best thing in the world! Once this starts happening regularly you will realise that you dont need the forumula at all and the supply and demand matches exactly waht you LO needs. Dont be fooled that becuase you boobs are sometimes soft or he hasnt fed for long that he isnt getting enough because I thought this for ages becuase the bottle was a clear way of knowing in comparison. They nearly always are and my LO has been so much more settled since being totally b/fed. Good luck!!! I hope this helps sorry its long winded! But for the next 2 weeks you need to either have a baby on your boob, expressing or letting milk out in the bath/shower to put it simlpy!

LUCXXX

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Sorry just to add the above is only if you have some milk left not if you have none. For instance when I started to doing this I could express less than 1oz (not when expressing the empty boob but just expressing normaly) and now I can express 4 oz out of each side.

Good luck!

 

[XKatX]

I have no idea about this, but I just wanted to day good luck!! Hope it all works out well - ley us know how it goes x x

 

[Miss Duke]

I did this!!! I stopped bf after only a week. Stupid stupid stupid, cuz I cried for 3 weeks after I stopped. So I started again. As Lucy above says, its all about keeping babes on the boob when possible, topping up with formula and pumping. I also took fenugreek.

However, I have been sick the last few days and didn't eat or drink for 48 hours, and now my milk is going again. I am gutted. Hoping it will come back now, cuz its blooming hard work getting it back. Let me know how you go.

Nicola xxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I did this!!! I stopped bf after only a week. Stupid stupid stupid, cuz I cried for 3 weeks after I stopped. So I started again. As Lucy above says, its all about keeping babes on the boob when possible, topping up with formula and pumping. I also took fenugreek.

However, I have been sick the last few days and didn't eat or drink for 48 hours, and now my milk is going again. I am gutted. Hoping it will come back now, cuz its blooming hard work getting it back. Let me know how you go.

Nicola xxx

I was in hospital last week and 'nil by mouth' for 48hrs and my milk took a hit even though I was on a drip. Its getting back up again so hopefully you'll be ok Nicola x

 

[maybebaby]

I can definitely agree that bf is hard after a c-section, but I was insistent that I was going to do it, and it was a bit of a struggle. So worth it though! I don't know anything about relactation but wanted to wish you luck!!!

 

[Heather.78]

I did relactate but I had been pumping here and there so there was some milk its really hard work but it can be done firstly buy nipple cream your gonna need it, I had to cut out all bottles except the last one at night so she slept well I had about a week of doing nothing and I mean nothing else but sitting on the sofa with a maiya feeding, she was fine at latching but not happy about the amount of milk she was getting but after a few ainful days and a not very happy my supply went up 10 fold and she has fed fine ever since, Ive also heard that you can get to feed time and let bubs feed off both breast before giving a top up bot till your milk comes back in if you would like any more advise just message me and Ill help anyway I can

ps have you got a pump???

best of luck

 

[Novbaby08]

Do you still have any milk left?

 

[bambino]

wow i didnt know this was even possible!

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Boobies are clever! Let us know how you get on!

 

[Miss Duke]

I did this!!! I stopped bf after only a week. Stupid stupid stupid, cuz I cried for 3 weeks after I stopped. So I started again. As Lucy above says, its all about keeping babes on the boob when possible, topping up with formula and pumping. I also took fenugreek.

However, I have been sick the last few days and didn't eat or drink for 48 hours, and now my milk is going again. I am gutted. Hoping it will come back now, cuz its blooming hard work getting it back. Let me know how you go.

Nicola xxx

I was in hospital last week and 'nil by mouth' for 48hrs and my milk took a hit even though I was on a drip. Its getting back up again so hopefully you'll be ok Nicola x

Thanks Lisa, you give me hope!!!!

Theres been progress here, but still not full supply.

 

[BurtonBaby]

I dont know if Mango is still around, but I think she had stopped for 3 weeks, and then re lactated successfully. If you are really really dedicated you can do it, its hard tho. I was topping Erica up with formula after my c-section (nurses did this since she had low blood sugar when she was born) and I was constantly working to increase my supply. I was able to tho, it was just hard. When she wasn't nursing, I was pumping. Good for you for deciding to maybe give it a go.

 

[clairebear]

good luck hunni. x x x x

im with u with the pain after a section trying to bf if i didnt have really good mw i dont think i could have done it x

 

[PeanutBean]

Not read through (sorry, these babies are busy!). I was chatting with my Mum yesterday and she was saying how the ability to breast feed last approx 10 years after having a babe. She said she used to leak milk on hot days for a decade after I was born and also that in poor countries it's common place for an aunt or other family member to nurse the baby if the mother dies or can't nurse so long as she has had a child in the past decade she is still able to produce milk for the baby.

 

[Lucy&Pard]

Not read through (sorry, these babies are busy!). I was chatting with my Mum yesterday and she was saying how the ability to breast feed last approx 10 years after having a babe. She said she used to leak milk on hot days for a decade after I was born and also that in poor countries it's common place for an aunt or other family member to nurse the baby if the mother dies or can't nurse so long as she has had a child in the past decade she is still able to produce milk for the baby.

Wow I think I heard that but didnt know it was true!