Relactation. Is it possible?

[SentinelWoo]

Hi,

I’m looking for advice on relactation. Has anyone successfully managed after a 6 week break?

DS is 13 weeks and we stopped breastfeeding at 7 weeks. A difficult pregnancy and birth resulted in a tough time feeding, and established that he will have to be our only biological child due to surgical complications.

Now things have settled a bit and we are at last both physically fit, I’m so upset that breastfeeding was cut short and have been desperately looking into relactation.

Does anyone have any positive experiences of relactation?

Thanks.

Yes it is possible. I would do lots of skin to skin. Use a SNS supplementary nursing system. A tube from a bottle into mouth of baby as they nurse. There's vitamins that you can take. Lactation cookies if you have any friends that could make them

Lots of fluid. Use formula in SNS and feed frequently. Pump I between never more than 2 hours between nursing or pumping. Night time nursing or pumping very important.

Slowly reduce the amount of formula used while nursing with the SNS

It's not easy but it is possible and if you want to breastfeed it will make breastfeeding possible, you may get to fully nursing or you may decide you are happy to nurse with SNS and not reduce for ularight down till nursing only. It's your decision.

Good luck. Some people make their own SNS have a look on Internet for advice on SNS

Thanks so much for the advice. Have looked into SNS and seems like a good way forward.

DS latched well a few times but has stopped since realising not a lot comes out. I have been expressing and managing enough for the first couple of mouthfuls from a cup before a bottle feed. We have also been bathing together and taking skin to skin naps in the afternoons.

I wish there had been better support for us regarding positioning as I was not capable of holding DS properly but reflux meant he struggled to feed lying side by side.

I plan to give this a good go but understand it’s going to be a tough ride!