Is it worth it?

[sweetfeet]

Hey after reading the post about relactating a 7 month old I was thinking to myself how I miss nursing too. I want to bf my daughter. I recieved some crap advice from her ped when she was 2 weeks old and I gave up at 5 weeks. I have WIC so I can get her formula but dh got a raise and now we make too much money.
My dd is 10 months old. I think that now it may work if I just knew how. She isn't needing her formula as much now as she eats some solids. We are TTC#2 but I am willing to put that aside to have a nursling again. I love the idea of extended breastfeeding. I think I owe it to my daughter to try again.
Please any advice or tips. Should I buy a medela electric pump? All I have now is an advent isis. Should I rent a hospital grade pump? Should I buy the domperidome? Which by the way is awesome stuff. We used it to relactate a mare too
I want to do this. I need your wisdom. Thanks

[phathui5]

As long as your daughter will do it, it's definately worth it. My advice is to ask a lactation consultant exactly what you should do. The hospitals around here have breastfeeding warmlines that you can use for free. You could also try your local La Leche League leader. You can find their number by going to http://www.lalecheleague.org

[sweetfeet]

How would I know if dd is willing?

[buttercup]

I just wanted to add on to phathui5's post. Even if your baby isn't willing, you can still provide him/ her w/ BM by exclusively pumping and feeding the BM by bottle. This is what I have been doing for the past 8 mos and plan on continuing until she doesn't want it anymore. DD and I worked very hard w/ 3 LCs for the first 3 mos and bf made her miserable because she couldn't latch (tongue thrusting habit) and me stressed thereby reducing my milk supply. Thank goodness for the PUMP. I can provide her w/ lots of TLC while feeding her by bottle just as if I was nursing.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that if nursing doesn't work out that you can still provide her w/ everything by pumping and offering it to her by bottle.

Jenni and Helon 6/29/02

[marisa]

Hi there! I'm sorry, I have no experience with relactation, but I think it is wonderful that you want to do this. Good for you, I say go for it!
I hope you get some great advice!

[BigBelly03]

To see if she is interested try nursing her--especially if she is sleepy. She may be interested in using the breast as a pacifier when she wants to go to sleep, even if you don't have much milk. I would just keep offering the breast every time she is hungry or sleepy. And you could also try pumping and giving her the breast milk so she gets used to the taste again....Most (but not all) 10 month olds who have been breast fed from birth are eating some solid foods and not nursing around the clock. (Of course there are exceptions to this!) I don't even think relactation should interfere with your ttc efforts. How is it going by the way? Is she nursing at all?

[Alenushka]

even if it does not work you still

should feel good about nursing your child for 5 weeks. Even a day of nursing give more immunity factors to a child than none at all.
As far as nursing and pumping. there is more way thatn one to get BM to the child. If you have problmes with your second you can pump. My very dear friend pumped for 16 months. she has a happy chilc who jsut would not latch on!. I had some problems and nurse on one side and pumped another side for 6 weeks.
It is hard to say if your 10 month will agree to nurse. Some childrne self wean at this age.
There some book for adopting mothers on how to establish lactation, maybe it will help.
I would also disscuss with OB if this can interfer with conceptions. Lacatation can and does supress ovulation for some

[friskeymama]

I don't have any advice for you but want to wish you all the best in your efforts!

[Quirky]

here's a website that may be helpful, has lots of links:

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/relactation.html

this site is about adoptive breastfeeding but mayalso be helpful:

http://www.fourfriends.com/abrw/

an essay about one mom's relactating experience:

http://breastfeed.com/resources/arti...elactating.htm


best of luck!

[marisa]

Re: even if it does not work you still

Originally posted by Alenushka

It is hard to say if your 10 month will agree to nurse. Some childrne self wean at this age.

I found this curious- I have never met a ten month old that self weaned. Not trying to argue, just wanted to point out that those instances may have just been nursing strikes, which can be common around that age, but not true self weaning.

[Maracita]

I don't really know about relactation, but the thought came to me that to get her interested again to try to meet other breastfeeding moms and have her watch. I was visiting a friend with a 2 y.o. dd (weaned at 1 year) with my still nursing 18 mo. old son. She watched him nurse and then my friends said she was holding her breasts again after that and would have liked to try again... I don't know if that will work for a little one, but as I remember my son at 10 months he was very curious to do what other kids were doing.

[somemama]

Honestly I think it's easier to relactate in the first three months than after that. But I applaud you for trying.

[Alenushka]

My older son self weaned at 8 months. eveyone I tell about it to tells ad nauseum about nursing strikes. It was not. We tried eveything for weeks. He did not want anything to do with the breast anymore. Nothing. It was very painful for me physically and emotionally becau se I planned to nurse till 12 months. I had tons of frozen milk, so i used it in his cereal and veggies.
He did have amazing manual dextresity and really loved feeding himself. He was very vry good with a spoon by 10 months etc. Did not really speak till 3.
They are all different
P.S. I found out form my mom later that I did exat same thing

[crunchywannabe]

Re: Is it worth it?

Originally posted by luv4sophie
Hey after reading the post about relactating a 7 month old I was thinking to myself how I miss nursing too. I want to bf my daughter. I recieved some crap advice from her ped when she was 2 weeks old and I gave up at 5 weeks. I have WIC so I can get her formula but dh got a raise and now we make too much money.

Well, since I am relactating my 7 month old thought I would give you my input and offer of advice and help.

Yes, it is worth it! Every bit of breastfeeding time you have with your child is worth it.

Ask yourself a few questions before you get started

1) Why are you doing this? Is it because you can't afford the formula now? Or are you truly wanting to nurse her? You may not get enough, if any, breastmilk. It might end up just being about being able to nurse her in a comfort setting.

2) What are you willing to do to make this work? Relactating is brutal! especially in babies so old. It will take serious time and emotional commitment from you...your pump will become your best friend. You should pump every 2-3 hours, even at night. I would recommend you take the medication domperidone which you can order in new zealand. (disclaimer: I am not a medical person offering advice, just telling what a good relactation/inducing lactation protocol is) You will want to take fenugreek, brewers yeast, blessed thistle.

3) How will I feel if this does not work? How will I feel if I don't at least try?

Some words of advice...baby might not be willing to relatch...but keep trying! if you can get your milk supply back up, you can always use a nipple shield to help with the confusion and transition. There was a post above that mentioned the fourfriends website which is for adoptive mothers inducing lactation for there new babies! Yes, it can be done! These moms often get a full milk supply.

If you have any questions, or need someone to help while you are going through this, please feel free to email me! I am going through it too, and can tell you where to get stuff you will need.

Best of luck!

[lisaryansmommy]

I'm relactating also!

hi, just wanted to let u know that there are more of us out there. I stopped breastfeeding my son when he was 4 weeks old because I had severe pain in my breasts all the time and I had no support from anyone. Well , my son ended up having a cow's milk allergy and had to go on hypoallergenic formula, which really is only less allergenic and it also has one of the highest amounts of neurotoxins in all formulas. Well I got sick of the rashes he always had and was paranoid that he would get another ear infection, cow's milk can cause ear infections. So, I decided to give it a try, it took 2 weeksof pumping and 2 days of dom. to get milk but he latched on the second day I offered my breast, with anSNS full of formula. I am not sure how much he gets from my breast , but I think it is a substantial amount since his dirty diapers are completely different now. We are much closer also, we both enjoy it and it somehow makes me feel as though he loves his momma more now. I encountered the pain this time also but did some research and am taking care of that.When I first thought I might try relactating I called a la leche league leader, got the number off the website that lists local groups. She was very supportive and I wnet to a meeting and got more support too. It gets frustrating sometimes, wondering if i'm going to have to take dom. and supplement until I wean him, but I try to stay optimistic. good luck to both of you,lisa p.s. ryan was 4 months old when I started, he is 5 months now.

[GoodWillHunter]

Hey, girl....Hope you are still trying. I would recommend a hospital grade pump. However, as your little one hasn't nursed since she was a tiny one, you may have some difficulty teaching her to nurse. The breast latch is different than the bottle latch. I would imagine, though, you already know this. If you can, get with a board-certified Lactation Consultant. Good luck. If you can't get her to nurse, remember, with the next one you CAN do it. I did.

p.s. Get a new pediatrician. A good one knows the benefits of breastfeeding far out-weigh the "convenience" (if there is one) of bottle feeding. I didn't nurse my first 3 children due to ppl telling me the bottle was more convenient. I did find, however, with my fourth child, the breast was so much more convenient.