Relactating after nearly 4mths.....

[cayla]

Hi,

Have never posted on here but was told it was a good place for advice!

My daughter is 4mths old and was exclusively breastfed for the first 2wks but I really struggled as I had experienced a bad post partum haemmorrage and was very anaemic.. She lost alot of weight and one top of formula led to another etc etc!!

Anyway I have now fully recovered (had also had a c-section) and am starting to really regret giving up feeding her and have spent the last few weeks researching relactating.

How likely am I to succeed after 4mths?? I know it will be hardwork, where do I start?? I am also being treated for PND so am unsure about being able to feed whilst taking antidepressants..

I have put her to the breast a few times last few days to see if she would latch, the immediately opens her mouth wide but doesnt actually suckle.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

well if you go to kellymom.com there is a lot of advice there on relactation

off the top of my head though:

expressing, you'd want to do this at least every 2 hours, and you'd need to do it in the night too

keep putting baby to the breast

maybe try an SNS (supplemental nursing system) to get baby used to feeding from the vbreast- will also stiumulate milk supply.

it WILL be very hard work. at 4 months i believe prolactin levels naturally drop, so getting up your supply will be harder than if you had tried say, a month ago! but it certainly can be done.

you may need to use a drug such as domperidone to help with supply too.

I would also recommend seeing if you have a local branch of La Leche League, they're always very helpful. where in the country are you?

Hi thanks for the reply,

I am in Hampshire.

HAMPSHIRE
LLL Portsmouth - 01243 378098
Other contacts: - 01962 852630

that's your local LLL group (well, may not be that local depending where you are!)

if you're nearer the sussex-y side then there is a LOVELY one (run by my friend) in Tangmere (nr chichester)