Relactating at 5 weeks Post Baby

My dd is 5 weeks today and having issues with formula.
I have come to the conclusion that i had made a mistake and not offered my dd bm, and want to start breast feeding her asap.
I have little milk, like drops but i need to build up my supply as quick as i can.
I bought a electric breast pump today, and ive been attempting to get her on to help stimulate my milk n she latches on but gets frustrated cause theres nothing coning out..
Can i get some tips pls.
Also any meds that will bring it in also?

Are you able to access some donor milk to use with a supply line in the meantime? There were a heap of threads on here about supplementing therapies for BF and improving supply - search for Barb Glare's posts. Good on you for wanting to relactate too.

Thanks Trillian [emoji4]
I might look into that also, and def will search up her posts.
I knew there was someone on here for bf, but couldnt put my finger on the name lol.
Thanks heaps!

Hi,

It sounds like you are having a very tough time. I wonder what issues your little one is having? Are you working with doctors? What do they say? Are you seeing an LC? It's probably very worthwhile to be working with an LC during this process. Most women are able to relactate, but there is not really a way of doing it super quickly, and it can be a bit depressing at the start when you just get a few drops. Medications such as motillium can help - you need a doctor's prescription. Also, I am sure you had good reasons for not breastfeeding at the start. Do those reasons still exist?
The most important thing is to let your baby suckle at the breast as often as she will take it, even if it's just for a short time. Could you a range a little "feeding Holiday" with her - you go to bed and leave some-one else to care for the house and the others - just concentrate on yourself and your little one. good luck and feel free to post back if you have more questions.

Thanks for your post Barb!
Basically she is suffering from constipation, and failure to thrive.
I basically have to help her poo almost every time or we get a little pellet.
I am working with a paed. Who has offered some home remedies as im not really keen on riddling her little body with different medications which could cause other issues.
I havent seen a Lc as i reasearched more into relactating yesterday.
I have however, been reasearching LC's today and am trying to work out costs as many dont have fee's on the sites available.
I have started to get a little more than what i had yesterday when i push it out by hand i can see more rising to the nipple.
I have been pumping as much as possible and also have been putting her to my breast when she is feeding alternatively. So bottle then breast bottle then breast.
Main reason for not bf, she is my 5th child and i have a child who has adhd and under diagnosis for autism and being school holidays i am stretched extremely thin.
But seeing her suffer through formula is making me want to resort to bf'ing to help her digestively but health wise overall to possibly assist in weight gain.

I can possibly hide away for an hr with her to feed and give her skin to skin.
Also wanting to know is it normal for my nipples to be sore? I realise its probably due to the fact they are now being stimulated but the pump and the baby but they are really tender.

A supply line would definitely give her the reward for suckling at the breast. Being topless at home can help too. I used a Medela SNS with my DD due to diagnosed low supply and she had formula in the SNS and got breastmilk from me at the same time. As Barb said, its the stimulation that builds supply and your DD would be better at stimulating your supply that a pump- I did both for a while.
I also took motilium- 9 a day at one point under the guidance of my GP and awesome LC- Leonie Maybury from
Eastern Lactation Consultants in Melbourne.
Good on you for being willing to put in the work to relactate.

How are you and your LO doing?

Well not very good, she started to refuse going near my breast and would just scream her head off, i think the stress im under from my other kids was being picked up by her an she just kept refusing the breast. I bought a breast pump and pumped and pumped but nothing was accumulating. I thought i had milk coming through but i guess it must of been little drips and drabs of left overs maybe?
On the upside my daughter is now poo'ing normally and without any pain and is alot more settled since she has been poo'ing and on her 6 week check up she has gained some weight thank god.
Very disappointed that it wouldnt work but she just became very annoyed when ever i tried. I kept it up for 6 days but nope she just went hysterical every time.