Breast feeding 17 month old after having stopped when they were 4 months old

[NewLeaseofLife]

Hi,
This is a little complicated. My friend at work has a friend who stopped feeding her baby at 4 months old. The baby is now 17 months old. She reckons she is having a phantom pregnancy in sympathy with her sister and has started to produce breast milk again. She has now decided to start to breast feed the 17 month old again... So several issues/questions here:

1. Why has she started producing milk again?
2. Is there any such thing as a phantom pregnancy?
3. Health wise will there be any issues (for the baby or her) with her breast feeding again as in the milk being milk that is nutritious etc
4. Is this the best thing for the baby after going so long and now eating solids etc?

My friend is quite concerned that the baby is now independent and that starting breast feeding again after so long is a backwards step.
I said to my friend that I would post on here and will send her a link as she wants to know if there is anything she should be concerned about, what the general feeling is and maybe even send a link to her friend to try and help back up her concerns.

Many thanks for any advice.

has she actually tried to feed this child? i sincerely doubt that a 17month old would would breastfeed after a 13month gap...

Hi JP, Thanks for responding. I have no idea. I have sent the link to my friend and hope she will either register herself or let me know tomorrow. I too would think it unlikely that the baby would take to the breast again.

I would suggest she visit her GP as this is actually a symptom of something else. I don't want to say anything to scare you or her but I would say please go.

oh and just to add i stopped feeding dd when she was 18months, i still have milk in there - she is 3 on sunday.

Agree that the problem will be getting her DC to latch on. Even trying to get DD2 to relatch after a few days of her stopping was tricky (at 13 months) It was as if she'd forgotten how to do it.

I think her milk stopped then started again recently... Thank yu all for your input.

My DD refused to even try latching again. She stopped when she was 27 months and I was lactating again (for DS) when she was 31 months. She tried a little in a cup and declared it disgusting!

breastmilk is always good for children, no matter what age they are!

I very much doubt that her child will want or be able to latch on and nurse though!

there is no reason to be concerned though, there is no downside to breastfeeding an older child (if he does do it)

It would be sensible to check things out with a doctor if this friend of a friend has started lactating spontaneously.

Breast milk is always nutrientally sound. If this mother wanted to resume nursing it won't damge the child in any way. The mother can only only offer and the toddler will decide if they want it or not.

Though I doubt a child who was weaned 13 months ago will want or be able to nurse.

Off to google.

Hi Everyone, Thank you Newleaseoflife for loading this concern on for me!

I have my personal concerns as NLOL had stated, however I spoke to my friend last night and she seems to be determine to continue with this dispite several peoples concerns. Apparently she has seen the doctor and he is giving her something that will help the milk come through! not sure what this is!!??

Anyway I have decided to let her move with this as she wants to, but have said I'm here if she needs support.

Thanks again everyone!

Posters who say the doctor should be aware of this are right. This all sounds a bit odd to me, esp the bit about the doctor prescribing something....I appreciate you are getting this third hand, NLOL

Of course the toddler can feed again if he wants to/is able to, but spontaneous milk production after this long a gap (apart from a few drops on squeezing) needs checking out medically. Soon.

Doctor is likely to have prescribed Domperidone

Or maybe he suggested one of the herbal galactagogues.

Best of luck to your friend. I would be interested in hearing if she managed to relactate fully after such a gap in nursing.

My concern is not anything to do with the feeding of the baby.
A friend of mine had this happen and it was due to a tumour on the pituitary gland.
I hope this is not the case with your friend but I would suggest a follow up app with a different doctor.

Yes, that's the concern, mumtoted.

Yes, there are prescription drugs (like the one BE mentions) that promote milk production. Seemed odd to me that the doc would prescribe this with no further investigations, though....maybe she has been checked out and all is well, of course.