Relactating for a 7 month old?

[Faithsmommy]

I'm not sure if this is possible, so I thought maybe someone here could help.

My DD will be 7 months old this week. We have just stopped nursing almost 2 weeks ago. But before that she was only nursing 1-2 times a day and I'm pretty sure mostly for comfort. At one point she went 2 days without nursing at all and I didn't feel engorged or even full. I haven't exclusively nursed her since she was 4 months old, and then she started having more and more formula as time went on...until we came to now. (I have a job where I cannot pump while at work...but only work 5-6 hr shifts, 4 days a week) This is what made my supply dwindle, the working, not being able to pump, and of course I started supplementing too much.

So now that we have stopped nursing I miss it terribly. She still very much wants to nurse and will latch on anytime I give her the opportunity, but she quickly gets frustrated that there is no milk. I feel guilty that I am not giving my baby the best nutrition possible, and I really wanted to continue to nurse into her toddler years. I HATE getting up and making a bottle in the middle of the night, not to mention the washing of all the bottles...and putting her to sleep for naps and bedtime is a nightmare now. Nursing was just so much easier all around.

So is there a way to get a full supply back where I can exclusively nurse again? I would rather not take drugs to make this happen and prefer to use a natural method. Would pumping bring my supply back? If so, how often and how much?? Also, any idea how long it would take or how hard it would be?

Thanks so much in advance...

[PatioGardener]

Pumping will definitely help! There is a relactation thread in this forum - ask over there and you will get lots of great advice.

[calebsmommy25]

I just want to say that I think it is great that you want to do this for your little one. I wish the best for both of you and hope everything works out.

[njbeachgirl]

I think this is great!

I know you said no meds but are you willing to use herbs? You can try natural things like herbs and eating oatmeal. Could you set aside a couple of days to do nothing but lay around skin to skin with baby, offering the breast as much as possible? That way she could comfort nurse and work on your supply....

[Faithsmommy]

Thank you for the replies. I was off work today and I started pumping every 2 hours for 15 minutes. I've tried to let her comfort nurse but she will really only do it for long periods when she's really really sleepy, so I'm mostly having to rely on the pumping for now. I did get some Fenugreek and I will start taking it tomorrow. The most I got from a pumping session today was 1/2 ounce total. But hopefully I can bring it up.

Thanks again for the suggestions!

[HikeYosemite]

I don't know if my situation is strange or common, but years ago my then 2-yo dd became frustrated and stopped nursing because my milk supply had dwindled because of a new pregnancy (her older brother had nursed all through my pregnancy with her). I was sad because her brother had continued to nurse occasionally until he was 5 1/2, and 2 seemed young to me. When the new baby was born, I was quite engorged and remembered what relief my son had provided when he tandem nursed during dd's infancy, as well as the bonding that took place between him and his sister during tandem nursing, so I asked my dd if she would like to try nursing again (it had been 6 mos since she last nursed). She agreed, and while at first she seemed to have forgotten how, I gave her some coaching and she soon learned again. Like her brother, tandem nursed with her new sister until she was 5 1/2! (She self-weaned.) Btw, all of our children grew well and thrived.

Although this doesn't provide an answer for how to increase your milk supply, I just wanted to provide encouragement for restarting after a nursing lapse--even a long one!