Is it ever too late to start breastfeeding?

Question

I have a 8 week old and she is allergic to most of the formulas we've tried. Milk will still come out of my breasts if I sqeeze them. I've tried to put her to the breast and she'll take it but not for long. How can I make more milk come out so I can pump, since she is used to the bottle?

Answer 1

You should wait until your child enters their 30's.

Answer 2

You can try to latch her on if you want to. You can even get a supplemental nursing system (SNS) that is a bottle and tubes that attaches to your breast. This will help her get more milk while nursing at the breast while you establish your supply. And the stimulation of her nursing at the breast will help you bring in milk.

Try nursing her or pumping about every 2 hours around the clock. Maybe give yourself one longer stretch of sleep if you can. You'll want a good electric pump, preferably a rental if you would try to exclusively pump.

She may only be taking the breast for a short time now because the milk flow is not as fast as with a bottle. You could try pumping a bit first until you feel a letdown and then put her on the breast. Or, the SNS mentioned above could solve the problem by giving her a quicker and more plentiful reward.

You really should call a Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and/or a La Leche League Leader to help you re-establish lactation. A LLL Leader will help you for free and may even visit you in your home if you need her to.

EDITED TO ADD:
Fenugreek was mentioned above. This herb can help to increase supply.....but NOTHING will work if you aren't nursing or pumping often enough. Establishing the supply and demand cycle is the most important thing.

Also....there are some people who shouldn't take fenugreek. See the link below to learn more.

Answer 3

In my breastfeeding book it had a section on breastfeeding your adoptive child. The book had a great suggestion for getting the milk flow back sooner-- Get a small bag and hang it around your neck. (like an IV bag...or something that won't leak). Fill it with formula. Have a small tube come out of the bottom of it. Then, when your baby wants to eat, put her to your breast with the end of the tube right over your nipple. SO, when she latches on, she'll suck and get the formula...but she's stimulating your breast the entire time. (And you don't have to worry about pumping for hours on end.)

Of course, find a tube that is small enough where she needs to work at eating, but large enough that she won't be too frustrated with it. (A lot of babies stop breastfeeding once they get a bottle nipple because they get more milk from the bottle.) If you give her a bottle, make sure it's the slowest nipple flow out there (the infant one ). I'd also suggest using the AVENT bottles. Everything I read said it's shaped most like a nipple-- It worked great with my breast feeding baby.

(I think it was "The Breastfeeding Book".) My book is packed away in storage, but I think it said you could even get these bags already made for you? But I think you had to go through the hospital. You should definitely contact your local La Leche group-- to see if they know where you can get one of those bags and for support.

ALSO, in response to the comment above that you should drink 1 beer to help with your let down-- IT'S A MYTH. Everything I've read said it'll make your breasts feel full and engorged, but it actually negatively affects your milk flow (by drying you up a little). The best thing you can do is drink water ALL DAY-- The more water you drink, the better.

Get a great electric pump--that'll help build your supply.

Try to feed her every 2 hours (the way I described above) to help build your milk supply.

Hang in there-- It's really hard to breastfeed, especially 2 months after the fact! If you hang with it, I'm sure you & your baby will be happy you did.

Answer 4

No, it is not too late! Your baby is still very young, and as you said you still have some milk that you can sqeeze out. It's going to be hard work, but it's certainly NOT impossible.

You will definately need a good pump: a hospital grade double electric. This is the pump that will stimulate your milk supply the best. I would strongly recomend pumping at least every 2-3 hours, around the clock. Don't be discouraged by the amount of milk you get; it will increase in time, and when you managed to get her on the breast, she'll be able to get the milk better than any pump. Any milk you do get, of course feed to the baby.

Here are some links with great info to help you:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/relactation.html
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/back.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/baby/back-to-breast.html
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

I too would strongly recomend you get an SNS (also sometimes called a Lact Aid). You can start out putting it on your finger if baby won't take the breast. This is how I got my newborn to nurse when he went on a mini strike due to my breasts being rock hard with engorgement. Your finger is much better than a bottle nipple, since it is human and smells and tastes like you, not like rubber or whatever. Fill the SNS with formula or any expressed breastmilk you manage to get. For me, it only took one "finger feeding" to get my baby back to the breast, but he was only a few days old and had not had any bottles, so it will likely take a little longer in your case.

If you can get your baby to take the breast with SNS, try to do that for every feeding instead of bottles. This will be the very best for your milk supply and also teach baby to suckle at the breast (which is very different than drinking from a bottle).

I also strongly suggest you get in contact with LLL: http://www.lalecheleague.org/leaderinfo.html They are free and will be more than happy to help you. I also highly recomend that you get incontact with an IBCLC.

The very best to you and your little one!

Answer 5

I would try to feed every 2 hours put the child on one breast and a pump on the other dont get a cheap pump etheir get the purely yours or the madela they are worth it in the long run. Get fenugreek pills and mothers milk tea they help alot with the production of milk. Cal La Leche League and have them give you some suggestions. My son was also allergic to formula and baby cereal so he was breastfed for 2 years until the allergies called down a bit now hes on soy milk.

Answer 6

You can do this!
I would certainly pump at least every two hours during the day, about ten minutes at a time, your baby will always be more effective than the pump, but putting your baby to the breast, combined with pumping should help get the milk flowing...
You will want to combine your milk with formula until your supply get built up.
oh! Nursing your baby during the night is a good trick ,because she will naturally latch on very nice and should nurse like a professional, because it more instinctual when she is sleepy...
good luck! You are a great Mom!

Answer 7

It is really difficult, but in can be done. Talk to your doctor to see what you should do, but I'd suggest nursing every 2 hours or so, then trying to pump right after. Babies can get milk much more efficiently than any pump, so I'd try and get her used to the breast, even if she is used to the bottle, otherwise you will start a vicious cycle of constantly pumping and feeding her with the bottle. If you slack off at all with pumping, your supply will go down and you'd be back at square one. Good Luck!

Answer 8

If you still have milk coming out, you should get a breast pump and pump every hour or so for twenty minutes on a breast.....keep putting your daughter to the breast too.

The more you demand, the more supply you'll get. She'll want to nurse more when you get more milk....she may have gotten lazy on the bottle because bottles are easier than breasts.

I also advise that you get some Avent bottles they are the most like breast (Avent breast pumps are awesome too)....

Drink lots of fluids....I've also heard a beer (ONE beer) can help with let down...I don't drink so I don't know.

There is also some tea with herbs it in that some women swear by, it is called "Mother's tea or mother's milk tea" something like that.

Good luck! It is better for the baby and much cheaper for you!!!!

PS:Also call a lactation consultant to help you!

Answer 9

Get yourself a good pump. Some are $200 but ask if you can rent one from the hospital. You should be able to get your milk to come in. Keep putting your baby to the breast too to give her the idea of what to do. I also would call 1-800-La-Leche, that is a 24 hour breastfeeding help hotline. I'm sure they could help you.

Answer 10

You just pump, regularly like every 4-5 hours or so (or more if you can take it). Be consistent, and this will build up your milk supply. The pumping mimics the baby sucking, that's how your body knows to produce more milk.

Answer 11

you need to pump a lot if the baby wont suck from you then pump and feed from the bottle. there is also fenegruek (sp) otc at many stores that helps with mlk prioduction, also if you go to the dr they can give you reglan which makes you produce. no its not to latre, if you still have milk then its an encouraging sign