Is it possible to relactate without expressing?

[Gatorade]

I stopped breast feeding DD2 3 weeks ago as I was unwell and readmitted to hospital and it just seemed like the easiest thing to do given the circumstances (she took to having a bottle well and she had been struggling to put on weight so in a way I felt relieved at the time).

However, she is just short of 6 weeks old now and I'm kicking myself for having stopped ( I fed DD1 until she self weaned at a year old, seemingly in protest to changes in my milk due to being pregnant with DD2).

I was having some lovely skin to skin with DD2 this evening and she happened to latch on herself and happily suck for about 15 minutes, my milk hasn't completely dried up yet (still leaking, although I don't imagine there is a significant amount available as DD still demolished a bottle after 20 mins sucking). Given how well she latched on I have just tried again now before her midnight bottle and again she happily latched and is still there now.

I am very keen to keep popping her on the boob (even if she is only getting small amounts/just there for comfort) but its got me thinking about relactating.

I have had a quick google and can see that relactating should be possible but would need to include expressing, preferably with a pump. I happen to own a medela swing from the first time around but I'm very reluctant to express as I hate expressing and also don't have much time to do so with a young baby and 19 month old to look after. If DD is latching well (I think she is but I'm going to pop to a breast feeding clinic tomorrow to check) would it be possible to slowly relactate naturally? Maybe with just DD2 sucking and a little hand expressing during the night and once a day when DD1 is napping? I don't mind if it takes a long time but I'm not sure if I'm being completely unrealistic and would appreciate any advise/success stories to encourage me.

Give it a go, prior to giving bottles would be my thoughts, so your essentially just giving top ups.

If you're still leaking milk anyway, I don't see why not - you haven't fully stopped so just keep going and your supply should increase again as she sucks.

Pumping is never as efficient as the baby suckling anyway, well not IME. :)

Thanks for the encouragement, she happily suckled for 25 minutes (up from 15 to 20 earlier this evening) and I'm about to give her a bottle now, I guess I have nothing to lose so
I'll just keep putting her on before bottles and see where we end up!

how are you getting on?

It might work. It would be worthwhile to try adding domperidone, if you could face it, as it is very good at bringing back supply that has, for whatever reason, dipped.

Sorry I completely forgot to update this thread! It's going really well, only about 30mls of bottle top ups now, I'm hoping by mid Nov (or earlier) that she'll be exclusively breast fed again. Thank you all for the help and suggestions.

Well done for sticking with it x

Just wanted to say hi as I am going through very similar myself. (Except dd has a crap latch and needs re educating) Stopped breastfeeding dd at 4 weeks after 2nd readmission to hospital with infections. Made the decision mid fever, milk dried very quickly, and I totally regret the whole thing now. (Dd 7 weeks)
For a week I've been mixing breast and bottle just as an experiment and I am now starting to take it more seriously.

I do have a pump but can't always find the time. (Am managing a rare session now) I have started taking fenugreek but only 24 hrs ago so not sure if its working.

Anyway, well done for getting so far. I really hope I can say the same thing soon.
Any tips to share? Did you offer breast then bottle? Or the other way round? Or withhold bottle altogether?

Hi MeanMrsMustard, how are you getting on with it now? Sorry it has taken me a little while to get back to you.

This is what I did (although I must admit I am no expert - this is just what has worked for me so far)

I tried to do as much skin to skin time as possible, it's not for everyone but I ended up sleeping with DD2 in bed with me (following relevant co-sleeping safely guidelines) so she also had access to the breast all night.

I always offered the breast first and then topped up after a short break, for night time feeds I have now stopped topping up all together (2.5 weeks after re-starting breast feeding)

I have been taking fenugreek, I am not sure I needed to or if it made any difference but I think it is good that you are doing the same (may as well give it a go!)

I spent quite a lot of time at local breastfeeding clinics trying to get my latch sorted (it was actually quite good but I had lost confidence with it I think and just talking to someone about what I was doing really helped)

I think the biggest thing is acknowledging that it is going to take time and that you will be sat with a baby attached to your breasts for large periods of time whilst your milk supply builds up again. This isn't always easy (I have DD1 who is 20 months to look after too so for the first week I arranged for friends to help out as much as possible taking her for days out so I could concentrate on DD2 - this really helped).

Good luck with it all!