Relactating

[DANNIIM]

I need to know whether any one else has successfully relactated....i know it is hard work and i really have been feeling up and down about this, i just need some reassurance to know this might actually work.
The DR put me on Maxolon when bub was 4wks, it did increase my supply but made me terribly tired so i went off it within a few days, i have since started on motilium within this week. To be honest i haven't been putting him to the breast as often as i should. The local LC at the child health clinic said that i go to the DR's get the meds, and just put bubs to breast as often as possible and when she saw i had only been able to express a little bit out she kinda gave me this look of failure before i even started, she said i should be getting 100mls at a time. I feel as though i need a plan written out put on the fridge in front of my nose and even then i don't feel as though i might succeed.
Even when the whole bfeeding thing went pair shaped i rung the hospital cause it was over the new yr break and every one else was on holidays....they kinda told me that i would need to go to the other ward as they don't like mothers and babies that have left to come back to the materity ward for infection reasons, i felt so deflated and outed just because i had birthed my baby and left we weren't welcome back for the support i so needed.
DP thinks i am crazy for wanting to relactate as bub has just started getting into a routine now. Am i going to throw him out of routine if i keep relactating and try and take the bottle away? All i want is to have a happy and healthy bub and to successfully bfeed all in one is that to much to expect?

Any support and words of encouragement would be great.

TIA

[Oorki Galoorki]

there was some one on here who did do it.
i could never get out 100mlwhile expressing and i have been feeding dd for 18 months...so ignore that "useful"(not) piece of advice.
how long have you not been feeding him? or are you mostly comp feeding?
always put him on the boob before a feed(bottle) then expess while he is feeding his stomach is the size of his fist so that is the amount you should aim at for expressing.

HTH maybe some one a bit more knowledgeable will pop in to!

[DANNIIM]

It has been a couple of weeks but i can still sqeeze out milk from the BB's. It squirts out the left so i figure the right maybe doesn't produce as much.
He has been taking 150mls of formula which is more than the size of his fist, although i guess a bit comes out the side and what he may spew up.

[Oorki Galoorki]

formula though is a precribed amount due to the lack of nutrient(compared to bm) that they need to have more....
at least you still have breast milk( its usually reallyreally hard for those who have stopped for months before trying to re lactate.) so it should be very very possible to do it. also a great way to get hi to attach again is to have a nice warm bath together and let him suckle or go to bed for the day and let him on and off when he looks hungry
is the LC your seeing an IBLC?

[ticklish]

Seriously ignore the advice about being able to express 100mls - serious lot of rubbish. The amount you are able to express has no relationship to how much you produce - some women just don't express well.

Have you rung the ABA? They might be able to offer some advice and support. Is there a support group near you?

I weaned DS#1 off formula and got b/f established when he was 5 weeks old. It was seriously hard work but yes it is possible. How well does he b/feed? Basically, I went to bed for 3 whole days, and because he was hungry he fed every 1 to 2 hours for 3 whole days but that brought my supply in - much like a newborn, but he never had the opportunity to do that in hospital. You need support. I did nothing else for those days. Still took a few more weeks to get into a good routine but the b/feeding was so beneficial.

Do you have a mother/baby unit near you? They should be able to help if you have one.

Good luck with it all.

Wishing you all the best,
TICKLISH

[DANNIIM]

No i don't think she is....i live in a very regional part of WA. There are some ABA people up here i think, about 2hrs away so maybe i could get some better support through them. The DR has got me on 4 tablets a day of Motilium but the script is only for 6 days supply so i am thinking i might get another script but for alot longer. I am trying to express in between feeds, that way i get a little more stimulation in there.
Good to hear what you are saying about the nutrients though. Wouldn't it be the amount that fills them though? I try not to keep to exactly 4hrly feeding, i kinda let him show me the way IYKWIM. In the arvo he doesn't even like going the 3hrs as he is getting tired, but then he has a last feed at about 8pm and then goes through to around 1-2am in the morning.
Also no problems getting him to attach....he still likes his boobies, that might have something to do with only using Tommee Tippee close to nature bottles as well!

[MrsB26]

Danni - i wish i had some advice for you but i would like to say what a great job you are doing already and to keep persevering because i know its something you really want to do for Jaxon

[DANNIIM]

Morgan thanks for that great read, i think i will come on hear and read that every time i feel discouraged.

Ticklish the nearest MBU would be in Perth which is about 1500kms away so not possible, i am just kicking myself now that i did something that i told myself not to do while pregnant, i just felt so stressed and sleep deprived

I have a good few friends that are like "old jersey cows" so i can lean on them when i need to i just have to stop being so stubborn and ask for the help.

Thankyou to everyone.

[morgan78]

DANNIIM - Big to you its so hard sometimes to do something that is "natural".

I did relacate when my DD was 12 weeks and now at 13 months we are still bf. Though we never ended up fully bf as for me it was too hard with a 2 yr old at home as well, but for me this was enough, DD was happy and healthy and I was still able to provide her with some of that yummy booby milk.

If you really want to do this then you really need to see a Lactation Consultant. They will assess your individual situation and give you advice and recommend supplements. They really are worth their weight in gold.
The most important thing will be offering the breast as often as you can, even if they arent getting a full feed, over time this will improve. One thing i was told was that how ever long it has been since you stopped bf it will take at least that long to get your supply reestablished. If you have a pump, use it and dont worry about amounts, some people can pump like a Jersey cow others (me included) just see a piddly amount.

I took fenugreek tablets (from health food stores) which some people say will help with milk production.


Heres the link to my story https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...return-bf.html
I wish you the best of luck with this and if you ever want to chat just PM me.


XXX

[*becstar*]

One thing i was told was that how ever long it has been since you stopped bf it will take at least that long to get your supply reestablished. If you have a pump, use it and dont worry about amounts, some people can pump like a Jersey cow others (me included) just see a piddly amount.

I took fenugreek tablets (from health food stores) which some people say will help with milk production.

Sorry, hadn't finished reading but I had to butt in Exactly Morgan!! And on the pumping.....I honestly would take me a whole day of pumping (maybe 5 times!) to get 100ml, and it still would. I am still fully BF and cannot pump to save myself.

[Jennifer13]

Well done Danni, you are really on track, by the sounds of it. What an inspiration you are to others who may wonder if they can do the same thing!

[*becstar*]

hi!! I'm sorry i've missed this thread...and don't have time at the moment as it's lunctime here. As some of you might know I've done the relactation journey successfully and I'll be back soon to give my two cents worth!!

[*becstar*]

ok i have a little time....

Congrats Danni, great work!! It takes time and effort and dedication to relactate, I did it after an 8 week break, all i was getting was a tiny drop of clear fluid out of one breast. On feeding, I found the best way to get my supply up quickly was to BF him over night, it works wonders! So if it's you that is getting up to feed him overnight, if possible,try to BF him then.....it's great.

Ok gotta run..... I'll read the whole thread and come back later.