i want to start breast feeding again after having to stop due to medication following an injury, my baby is 3 months old and i want to start trying, i read on the internet that i can naturally induce lactation by pump or putting the baby to the breast, the article stated my milk would return in 1-4 weeks...i also read i can get shots of hormones to induce it which takes about 4-13 days....has anyone ever tried either of these options and what were the results? and yes, he still latches on, i wanted to see if he still would since i am considering breast feeding again! thank you in advance
2007-09-25 18:39:46 · 4 answers · asked by babygurl 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
and bravo to all the mothers breast feeding and sticking with it, i know it is challenging!!!!
2007-09-25 18:40:22 · update #1
Relactation is hard work. After returning to work 8 weeks postpartum, my supply dwindled and I couldn't keep it up. I eventually only managed to get 3 drops out of each breast. I tried to relactate and couldn't get more than a tablespoon of milk after trying for a month. My son wouldn't latch on no matter what either, so I recently stopped trying and have been feeling so bad.
It will take as long as you have stopped for. Also, if you have never had a full supply, it will be more difficult. It is possible though, although it will take time and commitment.
Start by offering your baby the breast, even if you have no milk. Let the baby use you as a pacifier. Or if your baby doesn't like that, get a lact-aid system so that the baby will get something for his efforts.
Pump every 2-3 hours, even if you see no results. If you can, pump every hour like you would nurse if your baby had a growth spurt. Pump at night too, so that means getting out of bed to pump.
Take Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle capsules. 3 of each, 3x a day. Also try Mother's Milk Tea. I used 2 tea bags each 3x a day.
To have some support, consult a lactation consultant who will be your own personal cheerleader and help you with latch issues you might encounter.
I did all of the above and went from 3 drops of milk that wouldn't even fall into the bottle to 1 tablespoon. That's a big improvement! But it's not easy at all. I work full time and it just got too much for me. My LC and I decided that perhaps it was ok for me to stop trying because I was getting so exhausted emotionally and physically. But she did tell me that there are plenty of success stories and was glad I tried my best and managed to give him that 1 TBSP a day.
Just keep trying and telling yourself you can do it! Good luck!
2007-09-26 02:56:42 · answer #1 · answered by Astragalo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i had allot of issues with supply after my son was born and after 3 months of fighting like heck i finally had to give up and feed him formula he was starving. had i known then what i know now it probably would have all turned out different but anyway. i put him on the breast constantly and i never had enough milk. but try it and if it works great if not there are a few different things you can take to boost your supply. fenugreek is a good one also they have this stuff called mothers milk tea that helps and there are 2 different prescription medications that ill help i took reglan and it helped but not enough for me. here are some links
ps the tube thing or supplemental nursing system is a big pain but worth it if you can get it to work i had the hardest time getting my son to get both the nipple and the tube in his mouth it is a thin flexible tube so it just kinda moves out of the way.
2007-09-25 18:52:23 · answer #2 · answered by fairy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You should go ahead and give it a try. It may take some persistence so don't give up. And don't let him get too frustrated when he sucks and doesn't get fed...
There is the option of feeding the baby as he sucks on you by using a tube connected to a milk supply. That way he gets fed and stimulates you to lactate. This method has been successful for some adoptive mothers who wanted to breastfeed.
2007-09-25 18:45:27 · answer #3 · answered by treebird 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi am so sorry, nothing we can say on here can help, but just to let you know we are all praying for you, I am 21 weeks and am worried about this type of thing happening all the time, to my baby boy. I cannot believe people get rid of babies when they dont want them and good parents like you and your husband do nothing wrong and still a tragedy like this happens. I would have a word with your doctor about the milk leaking from your breast, as im not sure what you do in this situation and only they will know, Im so sorry
2016-04-06 01:31:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋