Breast-milk re-establishment - serious replies only?

Question

Okay I made a previous post about my baby and her formula issues, now since some of you replied and said that my milk CAN be re-established, you have my spirits back up and I'm going to give it another serious go with trying to breastfeed...

My question... what are some ways that *I* can help re-establish my milk supply? I know that I can attempt to put her to my breasts each time she's hungry and get her to try it, but what are some other ways that I can do this? Will breast-feeding help eliminate the constipation, belly cramps, and colicky attitude she's got going on? How long should I *roughly* expect until she's completely nursing with no formula? Yall are great, thanks a bunch!

Answer 1

I am a postpartum RN and a Certified Lactation Educator. I urge you to consult with a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and/or a La Leche leader in your area to assist you with this.

The success of this endeavor depends on a number of factors such as: how long did you breastfeed? how long has it been since you stopped breastfeeding? how determined and motivated are you and do you have the time and patience needed to devote to pumping and using the supplemental nursing system (SNS)? You will probably need a good quality hospital grade breastpump such as the Medela Lactina or Symphony.

Here are some links for you:

http://www.breast-pumps.com/induced_lactation_and_relactatio.htm
http://www.drspock.com/faq/0,1511,7500,00.html
http://www.pregnancy.org/article.php?sid=819
http://www.nursingbaby.com/parenting/quest5.htm

Lots of links here: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/relactation-resources.html#linksrelactation

Other things to help lactation:
Mother's Milk Tea - not super delicious but put a little sweetener in it and it's not too bad. I think it helped me!
http://www.tealand.com/MothersMilk.asp

Fenugreek - never tried but others say it helps a lot
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_fenugreek.html

Domperidone and metoclopramide - never tried but I hear good things, esp about domperidone, but it's not readily available in the U.S.
http://www.breastfeeding.org/articles/domperidone.html

Answer 2

Baby will likely do better with your perfect milk, and good for you! You really can re-establish your milk supply. You will need to not only put her to breast, but you should pump every 2-3 hours while awake to build your supply. She will still need other nourishment until your supply is built up. I am not sure how long ago you quit breastfeeding, or if you ever did. The wisest thing you could do is to contact a lactation consultant, and get an SNS. This way, baby stimulates your milk supply, and still gets formula until your milk is fully in. You will be completely breastfeeding! It may also be helpful to contact someone from La Leche League. The support you will receive is wonderful. The best of luck to you. It is different for every mother how soon till their milk is fully there, so I don't have an answer for you about that.

Answer 3

My doctor told me that you can get a breast pump and try using it around the normal times you would feed your baby. Your body senses your baby, and when you re-establish your milk supply you will be able to feed her again.

It may take a while if it has been a hile since you last nursed her, but it will come back in. Give it time and use the pump. Even if it does not produce right away for you, it will come back in.

Unfortunately I was only able to nurse my son for 3 months, he just wasnt handling breast milk. He stayed on formula until he turned 1 and now drinks regular milk. Good luck!

Answer 4

All of the above advice is good...the basic points are covered...I'm just answering your question to say WAY TO GO!! I think you're doing a great thing. Good for you. And you know what? If for some reason it doesn't work (but I think it really will), you can know you tried and did your best. All we can do is our best. Your baby seems to be well-cared for, to have such a proactive mama. Keep up the good work. :) OH--also, on the practical side (didn't see this mentioned), you can take a herbal supplement called fenugreek. It's well-known and widely used for increasing milk supply. You can most likely find it at your local health food store. Best wishes!

Answer 5

every chance you get use the breast pump. the constant pull from the suction tricks your breasts into thinking your feeding often. this will help establish an ongoing build up of supply. dont use no cheap hand pump one, you need a good electric one. when you shower let warm water(as warm as you can stand) continually run over your breasts, (5-10 min) a few times. you will be dripping milk even before you get out of the shower. then immediately grab that pump and pump away. drink lots of water, this also helps build milk. since you are trying to put her on the breast, she will be cranky and aggrivated because she is used to the bottle. the bottle is not as much work for them as having to latch on and suck. if you have problems with latching and keeping her on call the hospital maternity ward for a nipple shield. looks like a suction cup(half dollar size) this will help her and you. good luck

Answer 6

Besides putting the baby on the breast you should pump also to help increase your milk. Maybe try some supplements like Mother's Milk Tea. Breastfeeding doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a baby that isn't colicky. My daughter had (still has at 3) chronic constipation. She was so colicky, it was awful. I breastfed her for 19 months, she never had formula. Some babies are just fussy.

Answer 7

you are going to need a high quality hospital grade breast pump, or at the very least a medla pump in style pump (dont even bother with the junk ones sold in walmart kmart or target, go to a medical supply store).
pump every 2 hours
consult a lactation consultant
join la leche league
as a nutritionist I will say yes it is very likely that breastfeeding will solve or lessen her digestive isues
try an herbal tea for increasing milk supply

Answer 8

Good for you!!! YAY! I love it when a momma decides to relactate for her baby's health.

I have one suggestion for you that wasn't already mentioned: look into getting a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS). This is basically a bag that hangs around your neck with a feeding tube you put next to your nipple. When baby suckles at your breast, they also suck from the tube so you can feed them formula while still stimulating the breast. You may find this helpful to get you the nipple stimulation you need to relactate and also to reestablish the pattern of nursing with your baby.

A great resource for breastfeeding advice is http://www.kellymom.com. Her section on relactation is here:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

I wish you the best of luck and lots of good nursing vibes!!!

Answer 9

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/relactation.html

And yes, breastmilk will stop her from having tummy trouble.

I would suggest contacting a local La Leche League Leader in your area.

Here is how-
http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebIndex.html