Restarting Breastfeeding at 8months

[Weemum]

i just recently stopped exclusively breastfeeding my daughter at 7 months mainly because it felt like the right time and to give myself a break. now, however, i've had second thoughts as we've both had recurring boughts of the cold and flu. Could be a coincidence because of the extreme weather, but of course the mother's guilt has hit. How do you comfortably re-start feeding again? And is it actually possible?

also meant to say, she's got really bad eczema on her face and rashes on and off. Could be that i need to change formula to something non-lactose - currently using aptamil. Any help really appreciated as i don't have much of a support network yet as we've just done an international move with the little one a few months back.

You can restart feeding, you may still have milk as you had been feeding for 7months. It can be hard work relactating but as your little one is older and already on solids then you woun't need at much of a supply as if you where EBF.

The only way to restart is to feed lot's and possibly express as well, it depends on how well she takes on going back to the breast as well.

The problem with the eczema is probably more likely to be cows protien rather then lactose. Espicaly if this has gotten worse since you stoped feeding her.

Kellymom is probably a good places to start for info on relactation www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html

Don't feel to guilty about her getting colds, BF doesn't stop children getting ill, it does gerenaly reduce the need for anitbiotics or hospitilsation though.

Thanks MigGril. Will have a look at kellymom. Are there any recommended non-cow protein formulas you can recommend?

The only one you can get off presciption I think is soya basied which is acutaly no good as a lot of children with cow milk protien intolerance actualy have a problem with soya to. So you would really need to speck to your GP.

My ds had cows milk protein allergy with bad eczema on his face. I bf and eliminated all dairy from his and my diet. Eczema disappeared. Took a bit of effort but was fine. He's now grown out of it and fine on dairy.
The CMP free formulas are on prescription I think. I have heard they taste v different to normal cow formula.

For relactation, have you tried to latch your baby on at all? What happens? Can you express anything? No experience but from I have read it is possible to relactate but takes some work. Look at kellymom and do a search on here?

just thought I'd mention the iron thing. Some babies who are exclusively breastfed and take very few iron rich foods can be more susceptible to infections at this age. And the CMP free formulas can be have less iron too because I think I'm right in saying they don't do a follow on version like ordinary formula. A friend went through this, 7 month baby with chest infections who was v allergenic although getting lots of breastmilk and some CMP formula but little iron in solids. It took a long time to discover lack of iron was cause.

I bfd babies till two. They still got ill, but it did seem to protect against ear infections (they had none) and reduced the chest infection factor(ds2 was thought to have asthma, but it just disappeared by the time he was 13 months. There was also the advantage that if they were ill, they could take breastmilk if nothing else stayed down, even with d & v. But I think solids as well as milk equal a healthy immune system, not just exclusively bfng.

Disclaimer: 10 years ago!

There isn't a lack of iron in BM, there is less iron in BM for a reasion it's becasuse it's more bioavaiable. A full term healthy baby shouldn't really have an iron porblem unless they haven't started taking iron rich foods. (I dout this would be a problem at 7months as iron stores don't just suddely run out)

Early cord clamping is another thing which can possibly cause a problem with this as baby's don't get the full blood flow at birth.

follow on milk contains more iron as it has to be different from first milk in order for them to adverties it. This acutaly isn't good for some baby's as excess iron casues constipation and bactria can feed on lots of free iron in the gut casueing other stomach issues.