Stupid Question but need answer! Can you restimulate your breast milk?

Question

I was breastfeeding my son when I was hospitilized for my high blood pressure. They told me that I couldnt breastfeed him because of the medicine that I was taking so I had to "pump and dump" as they called it. I did this for two days until my nurse for the night whom also happened to be a lactation consultant told me that it was okay to breastfeed while taking the magnesium sulfate. But by then the damage was done. My son was hooked on formula and wasnt latching onto my breast anymore. I really miss the connection and I know that breast is best but my supply has completely dwindled. Is there anyway that you can "restimulate" your breasts to make milk again?

Answer 1

It all depends on how long you've gone without pumping or nursing. Call the ob dept or your family dr. They'll provide you with the correct information.

Answer 2

Relactating is possible, but after so many weeks without breast stimulation, it will not be very easy. There are two key issues to consider. Firstly, you would need to restimulate a milk supply, which is likely to take some time and which will require some physical effort. Secondly, your baby is used to taking her milk from a bottle and may well find it frustrating, or even refuse, to return to the breast. You would need to discuss medications that could be taken to restimulate your milk supply with your GP. But such medications would only work in conjunction with frequent stimulation of the breast and regular milk removal. At first, your baby may be unwilling to go to the breast to suckle and remove the milk, so expressing your milk regularly with an electric breast pump (hired for several weeks or so) is worth. Expressing milk from both breasts at the same time would be more likely to result in a greater milk yield and take up less time than expressing each breast separately.

Encouraging the baby to take milk from the breast (once there is some there!) is the most effective way to restimulate a good milk supply, but it is likely to take some time to master. There are lots of ways in which the baby could be encouraged to return to the breast, such as: skin to skin contact - baby's bare chest hugged against mum's bare chest; letting the baby nuzzle in between the breasts; offering the breast when the baby is very sleepy or in a dimly lit room; interrupting a bottle-feed with the breast. As the milk supply, however small, begins to return, you can start to offer the breast again

Fenugreek and breastfeeding - Fenugreek seeds contain hormone precursors that increase milk supply. Scientists do not know for sure how this happens. Some believe it is possible because breasts are modified sweat glands, and fenugreek stimulates sweat production. It has been found that fenugreek can increase a nursing mother's milk supply within 24 to 72 hours after first taking the herb. Once an adequate level of milk production is reached, most women can discontinue the fenugreek and maintain the milk supply with adequate breast stimulation. Many women today take fenugreek in a pill form (ground seeds placed in capsules). The pills can be found at most vitamin and nutrition stores and at many supermarkets and natural foods stores. Fenugreek can also be taken in tea form, although tea is believed to be less potent than the pills and the tea comes with a bitter taste that can be hard to stomach.

Hope it helps. Above all just be patient and keep trying again and again.

Answer 3

Yes, keep using the breast pump even if you only get the tiniest bit out, but don't hurt yourself. If you're really struggling try speaking to your doctor. They used to (I don't know whether they still do) give a hormone tablet to help mother's lactate. I can still get a bit of milk out now and I've not breastfed for over two years. As long as you stimulate the milk ducts regularly they should still produce. The hard part will be getting your son to latch on again. When babies are born they have an automatic reaction when suckling this involves pushing the jaw forward to press on the ducts. When a baby is bottle fed this action is not necessary, they just have to suck. Unfortunately this can mean that a baby becomes "lazy" and refuses the breast when it is reintroduced as it is just too much like hard work! If he absolutely refuses then keep giving him any milk you can pump off in a bottle as he will benefit from your antibodies.
Hope it works out for you either way.

Answer 4

I've never head such thing before. My grandma told me to put some breast milk on my baby's nose when he's congested though. My son suffered a lot from ear infections last year, but not recently. The doctor told me not to giving his bottle laying down, get him near dogs or cats, smoke, and that that should minimize the risk of ear infections. Also, are you currently breastfeeding your baby? If so, then he should be covered. Anyhow, just try those tips and luckily your kids will be better pretty soon!

Answer 5

you have to restart everything all over again; let him suckle a bit at a time at your breasts, that should start to stimulate milk production; express your breast milk whenever you can; give your breast milk through a cup, and not the bottle

most important of all, try not to be too disappointed, stressed or frustrated if this takes time because this will reduce your breast milk production

in the end, if it all works out, then fine; but if it doesn't at least you have tried and have a richer experience

Answer 6

Yes. My girlfriend had to have surgery when her baby was 2 months old and she lost all her milk. She was able to relactate and gain a full milk supply and nurse until her child was 2. She used an SNS (supplemental nursing system) and always fed from the breast, even if there was nothing there. There was formula in the SNS and she gradually needed less and less formula. She gained a full supply after about 3 weeks. Please see the kellymom link for more information on relactation.

Answer 7

as long as there's still milk coming out, theres still hope. you should keep pumping the milk and make your breast emtpy at least every 2 hours and your breasts will slowly increase milk production to meet the demand. tho i'm not sure about your son drinking from you directly, babies can get picky. will likely take your milk from the bottle.

however, if youve completely dried up, doubt itll produce again

Answer 8

This is a great question! Absolutely you can relactate.

If you really want to tough it out, try stopping all artificial nipples. Check out http://www.kellymom.com -- the BEST breastfeeding website. Also I'd highly recommend the videos at http://www.gentlemothering.ca/DRNewmanVideos.html check out breast compression and how to latch on, how to tell if your baby is swallowing (it's a suck-swallow reflex).

also, I've heard of a technique that has to do with giving the baby a little sip on the bottle and then twisting it out and trying to latch-on.

Do LOTS AND LOTS of skin to skin contact (take your shirt off and keep baby just in diaper and hold him/her a LOT. Try when the baby is sleepy. Try in the bath together (if your baby likes water).

Of all the herbs I've tried (I have chronic low supply), I found alfalfa to work best for me, but YMMV. Avoid reglan (prescription drug) as it can cause depression.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 9

Yes! It is totally possible. In fact, it is possible for someone who has never breastfed or never even had a baby to stimulate milk production. Here are some links with info to get you started:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/relactation.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html

I also strongly suggest contacting LLL and/or a Lactation Consultant for more help and support.

Remember, all breastmilk is good breastmilk. Even if you never manage to get him back to the breast and even if you never mange to pump more than an oz or two a day, there a huge benifits from any amount of breastmilk you can give your baby. The very best of luck to you!

Answer 10

yes you can, there is a organisation which is free that is breast feeding people, i'm not sure of what it is called but go on the internet. you can take tablets which cant harm you in any way and are not bad for you. my friend told me about it and it sounded great, you can talk on the phone to these people and they even do home visits, i think sure stare run it or have something to do with it. my friend uses them all the time, they are fully qualified. i'm in stoke on trent. give it a go, i lived breast feeding and oly wish i knew adout this when i dried up.