Has anyone successfully relactated?

[Mummylewi]

Stopped breastfeeding DC2 after a week due to low supply/ CMPA/ torn nipples. Have a lot of guilt due to this and she really doesn't drink enough formula either. I would love to build up even just a bit of a supply. Has anyone done this or am I mad?

I tried it. Never stopped completely and tried to increase from 11 weeks. Never got that far with it but it meant I was much more at peace with stopping at 21 weeks. Many people told me it is doable.

I have done it! I think I stopped because my son had a tongue tie and couldn't latch properly, but I felt so guilty and emotional after I stopped that I really wanted to have another go. I literally drank so much water and pumped in-between feeds to get my supply back up. It worked and took about 4 days.

Following as I want to try the same!

@PermanentTemporary thanks for your story, I'm glad you found peace with stopping.

@fugde08 had your supply dried up or did you still have some milk there when you tried to start again?

I had stopped for about two weeks and had the tiniest of amounts coming through.

Yes, with DS1.

Stopped breastfeeding after 3 weeks. Hated breastfeedin, couldn't find a comfortable position, , couldn't relax, baby didn't settle, was constantly being undermined by family members who wanted to give formula.

Fast forward to when DS1 was about 2 months old, he was crying for some reason so I was comforting him and happened to be wearing a dressing gown, no bra, with boobs half exposed. DS1 sort of bobbed down and latched himself on and fed.

It was amazing. I then bf until he was 12 months. Not exclusively but probably about 80%.

These are good resources for how to go about the process of relactation. It's good to have some skilled support from an IBCLC if you are able to too 🙂

www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/relactation/

abm.me.uk/breastfeeding-information/relactation/

abm.me.uk/breastfeeding-information/relactation/

I’m doing this now! I stopped BF after 1 week due to issues with babies weight loss, jaundice etc and after weeks of feeling awful about it I started the relactation process 13 weeks post partum so almost 12 weeks after stopping BF.

I pump every 2-3 hrs including at least once at 3am and power pump once a day using a hospital grade pump - I hired the medela symphony, drink lots of water, make sure I’m eating enough. Some people use supplements but i haven’t yet. Plenty of skin to skin, and trying to get baby to latch (mine won’t yet but will play with the nipple so I’m still hopeful).

I’ve had 3.5 weeks of absolutely nothing, not even drops but i persisted and I’m now starting to get milk at the bottom of the bottle when pumping. At the moment it’s very small amounts (doesn’t even add up to an oz a day) but it’s such huge progress for me.

I’ve wanted to give up about a million times, I’ve cried from frustration many times and it’s been really hard not being able to leave the house for long etc as I’m permenantly attached to my pump but it’s been worth it to start seeing results.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Just to add the one thing that really made a difference for me was to hand express for at least 5 minutes on each side after pumping (so I pump
For 20, hand express for a total of 10). It gets out any last drops and since doing it my output seems to double daily.