Re-lactating success stories

[BellasYummyMummy]

I am currently trying to get my milk back up after stopping BFing when my DD was only 5 days old, she is now a month old and has been on the bottle for 3 weeks.

I wanted to hear from mums who have relactated, and how long it took you, circumstances etc.

I am on day 3 on this long windy road, very hard work pumping all the time, then feeding baby, and trying to take care of a toddler. I know the end result will be so worth it but have moments when i lose hope and ask myself why i am doing this.

So please if you have a positive story, i would really love to hear it.

try some manual massage / expressing. go round the clock, say 5 to 5, 6 o'clock, 5 past 6.
It really helps. Do it once in the morning and once a night. After a few days you should see a difference.

I don't have any direct experience but I just wanted to wish you good luck and send you milky milk vibes

I had a very positive experience with relactation. My DD was 8 weeks into exclusive FF when I decided it was time to try again. It took about 3-4 weeks to establish a sufficient supply, and then she BF until about 21 months, when I got pregnant again and decided my nipples needed a break!

I used the advice of a lactation consultant (the LCGB website has a list of ones local to you) and also used advice from kellymom website:

www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

and

www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrease-formula.html

Well done for doing it with a toddler too - that takes some real dedication! For me it was my first baby - and even then I was very tired. Do you have help at home, e.g., from a partner?

I really really hope it works for you.

I haven't relactated as such, but I have built supply from almost nothing. I recommend the pumping as often as you can, and to add a galactagogue or two - things like fennel tea, fenugreek, oatmeal, and then the big guns of domperidone, which you can get on prescription if your GP is friendly, or buy direct from www.inhousepharmacy.co.uk>

Good luck - I feel for you!

Thank you all for your advice! I am feeling more positive after dtarting off with just a few drops to now half an ounce, though wish it would hurry up but need to remind myself it's only been a week. I hope my supply is fully established by 3-4 weeks.
Narmada- did you take any medications/herbs? I've been taking fenugreek but stink of maple syrup! And am worred about what will happen if I stop taking it.
I've also just ordered an SNS to try and speed things up a bit.
The LLL sent me loads of helpful info which was brill, but I am finding it so hard feeding, pumping, skin to skin and taking care of my other daughter! She will be in childcare all of next week so i can devote my time to this and not worry about her being bored.

Fingers crossed its all worth this effort!!

Oh I am sure it will be worth it -it sounds like it is very important to you (as it was to me), and in the long-run you will save yourself lots of hassle because there'll be no bottle-washing, sterilising, etc etc etc.

I did use fenugreek, yes, and remember stinking a bit as a result. I don't know whether my nearest and dearest were too polite to mention it much, though. I also had domperidone for a while, obtained from a helpful GP who was unusually supportive. I stopped it later on down the line with no ill-effects on supply. If you are getting half an ounce pumping, then you are doing really well. I seem to remember going from that stage to lots more easonably quickly.

Are you trying your DD on the breast at all? If she is willing, this will speed up the whole relactation thing. Youl could try her on the breast first off (if she is amenable - some are just too hungry and eager to bother with that!) and then top her up with slowly decreasing amounts of formula afterwards.

PS, have you got a hospital-grade pump? They are so, so much more effective than any other sort, I found. I rented one from medela: it was quite expensive at about £38 per month, but I only had it for a couple of months and could do both breasts at once. I looked like a cow in a milking parlour! DDon't forget to carry on pumping for a while after you think everything is out. This is what tells your body to up its supply. And save yourself some hassle - there's no need to wash or sterilise the pump funnel things more than once a day. Just put them in the fridge with some clingfilm over the open end. Don't mix up fresh and stored pumped milk, tho, as it's at different temperatures.

Thnks narmada!! Yes I am putting her to me often and I am so happy that the last few times she has stayed on for a few minutes and I could hear her swallowing!!

No i dont have a hospital grade pump, my DH doesnt want me to rent one as we dont really have the money so i am using my electric one (at least it isnt manual!). And yes am pumping after the milk stops coming but i've noticed today its really spraying out so im really excited! Hopefully when i get the SNS ill have her on me a lot more which will speed it all up!!

Sounds like it is going great. Keep going. If you can hear her swallowing, it must really be working well. Keep it up.

The electric pumps are OK, I agree, I have a medela swing one which is quite good. Glad you're not doing it by hand or with a manual one. God, your hands (not to mention your nipples) would be knackered! Hey, though, remind your DH that £40 spent on a months' pump rental will potentially save you ££££££££££££ on formula in the long run. Men!

Didn't have a SNS thing, you'll have to tell me all about it. Sounds quite good.

Best of luck to you and your daughter.

Thanks Narmada, the SNS arrived yest and was a bit of a nightmare to use. I managed to get DD on with the SNS hooked up (its basically a little container where you put the formula, hang it around your neck, and there are two lines that you tape to the end of your nipples, so that when baby latches on they get milk and stimulate your milk supply). She didnt seem to like it too much, and we've all got colds so had little sleep so im not sure if i can be bothered with it today.

Im leaking milk quite a lot which is good, but I get frustrated when DD latches on but then pulls off crying; she's so used to a faster flow she doesnt stay on for long.

Hi BYM, how's it going? I 've been on holiday for a week to somewhere completely without internet access . Anyway, just wondered how you were faring?

The SNS thing does sound a bit of a pain.

I wondered, with the pulling off thing, whether you have tried breast compressions - it can help get more milk into the baby quicker. It's a bit hard to describe, and you mightn't be that keen to do it in public as it looks a bit wierd, but here is a description of how it works from quite a helpful website:

www.drjacknewman.com/help/Breast-compression.asp

Righto, my DD just woke up so I better go and pluck her from the cot. Hope you are getting on OK.