Relactation. Help and advice needed.

[Haribosmum]

When I was pregnant with DS2 I was determined to b/f for at least 6 months. Things started off well but at 2 weeks he started to refuse breastmilk (off the breast and expressed in a bottle). My Health visitor at the time was not very helpful and just told me to put him on formula which i reluctantly did. However I have just moved house and got a new Health Visitor who has been VERY supportive of me trying to re-establish b/f. (Buy this time I was feeling very guilty about giving up and felt I had let ds2 down and still I do - I'm really depressed about it). I still have a little milk but not enough it seems for my son to want to latch on for any period of time. I also have 2 Medela Mini-Electric pumps (don't ask!) but they are not powerful enough to express what is there and so my milk supply is not increasing at all after 2 weeks. I have decided to rent an Medela Symphony pump and see if that works any better but I was just wondering if anyone else has been through this and had any advice? Thanks.

Hi Haribosmum

I have read on here somewhere about foods to increase your Milk supply, have a trawl through the past posts and see. Might be worth contacting the NCT or LLL as they have people trained to help.

Good Luck!

I feel for you - ia am a HV and was at a breastfeeding training course for 3 LONG.... days a couple of weeks ago -- according to the 'experts' if you stick at it then 90% of woman at any stage in their lives (so long as they have previously breast fed) will be able to re-establish breast feeding - this is proved in 3rd world countries where mum's still unfortunately and not unusually, die in childbirth and dad clearly can't go to tesco for formula so granny literally takes over and puts baby to her breast hence being able to lactate once again after what is often MANY years!!!! SO stick at it, use whatever methods and pumps you can and hopefully you will be successful. BEST OF LUCK.

excellent BF resource

and google Dr Jack Newman....BF expert

and something about fenugreek ringing a bell...

link to La Leche

Thanks for your advice. I'll certainly take a look through those links. And hopefully my milk supply will increase very soon.

Lactogenic Foods and Herbs

OATS are great for boosting supply

No Bake choc cookies

2 cups sugar 1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk 1 stick butter

Boil the above ingredients for 2 minutes, remove from heat and mix the below ingredients in. Spoon onto wax paper and allow to cool.

1/2 cup peanut butter (if wished or replace with raisins)
3 cups of oats initially, add extra oats until mixture is very stiff
1 TSP vanilla

Or for a quick boost you could ask the Dr to prescribe Domperidone
or buy some Herbal Tinctures

You would need to stimulate the breasts AT LEAST 8 times in 24hours also. Loads of skin to skin, bathing and cuddling also

Mmmm thanks for the recipe..what a great way to justify cookies! 'Well it's good for the baby!!' LOL. I'm going to the doctors this morning so I'll ask about the dopereridone. Thanks

Hi, Haribo...by all means ask the doc about domperidone, but the main thing you need to do to re-establish bf is to express alongside offering the breast, and to express at least 8 x in 24 hours including at night. If you are not doing this, then relactation will not happen. It is hard to express this often and in my experience this is the biggest challenge.

Well I went to the doctors and suggested the doperidone but she was not very keen. Mainly, I think as she had never heard it used like this before. But she said she would discuss with another doctor and give me a call later on.
I think this is going to be VERY hard work but I'd rather give it a go. So what if I lose some more sleep pumping in the night, it's got to be worth it eh?

Good on you! Let us know how you get on and Good Luck!

this advice might seem barking but I did get it from a b/f counsellor - she was lovely and read all the latest relactation research from Africa where it is a big issue

I used a hairline tube - thin as a thick piece of string - which I attached to my nipple with a plaster. One end went on the nipple for the baby, the other into some ebm or formula

stimulates the let down reflex as well as giving baby more of an idea that this is a decent thing to do

pump a lot

drink a lot

lots and lots of faff re sterilising as you have suck sterilising fluid through the tube - and mouthfuls of milton at 3am is no fun

suggest you get a bf counsellor as mine was ace - from NCT

come to think of it it was a very thin tube. you'd probably have to get it from a bf counsellor or a doctor or hv as I think it was medical issue

Well the doctor decided not to give me Doperidine because she said is wasn't licenced for this purpose (but I think it is in Canada). Anyway I went out and bought some from the chemist. Doctor said I should give up trying to breastfeed because I was 'flogging a dead horse' and she wants me to go on anti-depressants and says I can't have them if I'm breastfeeding. (I've not got post-natal depression, just a bit down) She said I should have a good think about it but I already made my mind up that I'm not giving this up until I've tried everything. I've got this hospital grade pump for 10 days and so I'll see what the situation is like in 10 days time.

Cappucino - Medela do a similar thing called a 'supplementary feeding system' for 20 pounds. I'm thinking about getting one.

Your doctor sounds like a total idiot. what unhelpful advice - i'd stick with your HV or as someone else suggested get a specialist BF counsellor to help you - i think they would shoot that doctor given half a chance!! keep your chin up and keep trying until YOU decide otherwise or hopefully prove your stupid doctor wrong. good luck

Also, are you maybe feeling down because of the whole bf thing not working (vicious circle) - even more reason for your Dr to support you. anyway you CAN have certain antidepressants and still breast feed - just not all of them. I breastfed whilst taking them.

haribo - no advice re relactation really as i have no experience in this

most gp's don't understand that a woman's desparate need to bf is natural and to be encouraged - instead of telling you to stop flogging a dead horse (what a horrid expression) she should have supported your urge to bf your baby - a very normal biological/psychological urge in a mother

best of luck with pumping

TWENTY QUID!

for a bit of tube and a sticking plaster?????

you are joking, right?

Derlor, I totally agree the doctor is an idiot! I am rapidly loosing faith with this practise, different doctor told me 18 months ago (in a very very patronising tone)that I was not losing my baby and to stop worrying over nothing. 3 days later I miscarried.

I think I'm down over a lot of things. Breastfeeding issues certainly a big factor but other issues as well.

haribo - SERTRALINE is a safe anti-d when bf - it is known by different names but if you tell your gp it is "sertraline hydrochloride" she should know it or be able to look it up in her little book

to me you sound like you need encouragement and support to relactate - not ant-d's - just a personal view though

Cappuccino, no I'm not joking! Although I think they describe it in a bit more technical way!!! LOL! A 'reservoir' you keep milk in and a tube attached to your nipple. But basically the same thing! Mayne I could get some tubing from B and Q?!

OR you could just go along to a nearby farm and get the farmer to link you up to his milking machine at the end of the cows bet that machine can suck!!! i always felt like that when pumping anyway - just trying to make you please do not take offence.

No offence taken Derlor. When my son was first born I could express 4-5 oz easy and I used to go 'Mooooooooooooo' whilst I was doing it!

Haribo - domperidone (get the name right ) is not licensed in the UK for this purpose and the doc is correct in this (though of course it can be prescribed off label if the doc choose to do so). You can read more here

The doc's attitude is poor, and it's not true you cannot bf with a/ds.

The tubing cost is probably because you are paying for the fact it is sterile when it is sold to you....I imagine, anyway.

Haribo - get some proper help, won't you? You need someone to support you through this in real life, and maybe to help you get your baby positioned and attached.

And just to re-iterate: expressing 8 x a day will be far more help than anything you can do with tubes and domperidone

oh yes tiktoc I am certainly getting my moneys worth out of this rented pump! This morning I got about 1/2 oz but now nothing? I keep on though pumping like a gooden!

I'm sure if you posted asking if anyone could get you a hairline tube there would be someone who could nick one for you

or get a bf counsellor who hangs around at the hospital like mine

as for 'reservoir' - mine was a baby bottle

What an utter disgrace, you know, i would love to speak a feww words to that stupid bloody Dr GGGGrrrrr HOW DARE SHE?? She is likely the cause of women getting PPD with her attitude. She needs disciplined and retrained so she has some people skills!

Haribo, you will do this.. if your using a hosp grade pump often enough AT LEAST 8 x in 24 hours and eat Porridge OATS EVERY morning and afternoon you will be squirting within a few weeks.. Have you had a look at the Motherlove tinctures for increasing breastmilk?