re-lactating for a 10 month old (posted for friend)

[*mama moose*]

my friend is not on MDC so I offered to ask for her, and see if any mamas can help her out.

She has a 10 month old baby, (one day older than mine) who she stopped nursing at almost 6 months. She had a serious illness and was given (bad) advice to wean to take the medication, so she did and now seriously regrets it.
She wholeheartedly wants to relactate and CLW her baby. I got her in touch with my LLL leader (who happens to also be an IBCLC) and shes waiting for an email back from her.

My friend says he is able to hand express a small amount of milk very easily, and has tried rubbing it on her nipple and trying to get the baby to lactch. Her DD just licks off the milk and then blows raspberries and giggles, or bites down and giggles. When her DD was little, she wouldn't nurse without a nipple shield, but my friend hasn't tried reintroducing one yet.
I told her to start taking fenugreek and blessed thistle, and get a pump and start trying to build up her supply, I also suggested getting an SNS to give her formula from. One thing that worries her is that she WOH 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. Her mom does babysit though, and can bring her DD to her during lunch, and her work was very accepting of her having pumping breaks when she was nursing before. She also co-sleeps and is willing to reverse cycle if her DD wants to.

a few questions:
do you think its possible or worth it? She is extremely commited to doing this and has told me repeatedly she will do whatever it takes. She also knows that her DD may never be fully on BM and off formula, and that it will be an uphill battle. Shes ok with that and just wants to be able to nurse her daughter again.

Could I, as a lactating mom, teach her DD to nurse? My friend said shes fine with my nursing her DD. I also offered to nurse her when I babysit occasionally, to reduce the amount of bottles shes getting. hmmm, I actually just thought of something...maybe I could start pumping for her DD for milk to go in the SNS instead of formula.....


Do you have any suggestions for her to make things easier?

thanks MDC mamas! :

[moonbeem]

I believe it's possible, afterall men and adoptive moms have induced lactation.
She should be step or two ahead of them since she did bf for six months.

your nursing her dc would surely help too

wish her luck!

[food4lifemom]

ReLactation for 10 mo old

Please tell her to get a pump and pump religiously. I am an adoptive mom to a dd who was breastfed, by me, since she was 1/2 hour old. If I can do it with no herbs, no meds, surely a mom who wants to will be able to relactate. Now, the babe is different. She should do whatever she did before, meaning the shield, to make all as similar as possible. Try to be in a very calm, dimly lit room. And, I am praying for you all. I also bf a friends child for a few months to help them through a similar issue.

[RoadWorkAhead]

I am currently pumping for a friend's DD who will not latch for me (but on occasion will for her mama). Its totally worth it for me since her DD has rejected ALL formula since getting some BM from mama. No luck getting serious latching, but her mom is making some milk (after never nursing after birth by choice). My tip: Let your child nurse on her while you pump. A nursling brings in milk sooo much better than a pump does. We just did a lactation vacation and it definitely improved supply! You're awesome for helping out!

[CathMac]

Just posted in your other thread

Good luck, good luck, good luck.
~Cath