can I relactate after 5 weeks?

[chocokat]

I was prescribed some antibiotics 5 weeks ago, the dr told me to stop bf for 2 weeks so I did my research and apparently wasnt safe and I didn't wanted to take any chances, so I pump, my dd beg me to nurse the first days but then it seem like she forgot all about it, I nurse her to sleep every night and this time she didn't had to. when I was done taking the medication, I offer my dd to nurse but she would refuse, so I was thinking that maybe she self wean but she's only 16 months and I wasn't ready and she probably wasn't. I really want to bf again, I've been pumping but I only get 1 or 2 drops, I got some mother's milk tea yesterday and I ordered fenugreek because I couldn't find it anywhere, I need some support. I've been offering to my dd she refuses during the day, I think she is confused.
how can I get her interested againany suggestions?

[studentmama]

You can totally relactate again, but it's going to take a lot of work and patience, but it is aboslutely possible.

It sounds like your babe is definitely confused so you are going to want to cut out all artificial nipples(bottles, pacifiers), btu first I would get an alternative feeding system like lact-aid or sns so you can supplement baby at the breat.

Here is a great page on getting baby back to the breast:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...to-breast.html

And I would get in touch with an LC like an IBCLC and La Lehce League group so you have plenty of resources to help you.

Good luck mama!

[CathMac]

RELACTATION:
Regarding Inducing Relactation, there are two components to Inducing Lactation. The first is the mother’s supply and the second is the baby’s nursing skills. Nursing is very instinctive in the first hour or so after delivery. After that it is a complex set of skills that need to be learned. The younger the baby is the easier it should be to bring in a supply and teach baby to nurse but it will take patience and effort.

Below are a number of links. The last link is to an article on the re-lactation protocol developed by Newman. The second to last link is to his page at “The Birth Den” website. See the far right column for videos on latching.

I periodically post these links and find that the addresses often change. As of the writing of this post all of the links should be current since I checked them all and updated the ones that were inactive.

Finding a current link is usually a simple matter of copying/pasting the article name into the search field of the meta search engine of your choice and the article you're looking for will usually be one of the first results. You may need to look carefully since occasionally some of the results will be for related resources linking the article in question but that is often a dead link as well.

I have learned the hard way it is usually more efficient to search using a meta search engine rather than the site the article comes from. Note, you can tell the source of the article from the link/address. Unfortunately, some of the search features on these various sites are unreliable, notably Kellymom.com, so even if you have a "Key Word" from the article you can't be guaranteed to find it by using that site's search function.

If it turns out that some of these aren’t working please PM me and I'd be glad to track it down.

LINKS
Recent MDC thread
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ctation&page=2

La Leche League article: Phoebe's Journey (re: a Mom that re-lactated for a 10 1/2 month adopted Chinese girl)
http://www.lalecheleague.org/NB/NBJulAug06p166.html

I would like to resume breastfeeding after an interruption. How do I relactate?
http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/relactation.html

Relactation and Induced Lactation Resources
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/rel...resources.html

Adoptive Breastfeeding & Relactation
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html

Relactation and Adoptive Breastfeeding: The Basics
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relactation.html

Help -- My Baby Won't Nurse!
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/...to-breast.html

Re-Birthing: Help For Latch On Problems
http://www.lactationconsultant.info/rebirth.html

When a Baby Refuses to Nurse
http://www.mobimotherhood.org/MM/article-refusal.aspx

Helping a Mother with a Baby Who Is Reluctant to Nurse
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/strike.html

My Baby Just Doesn't Get It
http://www.wiessinger.baka.com/bfing...e/babyget.html

Dr. Jack Newman – The Birth Den
http://www.thebirthden.com/Newman.html

The Protocols for Induced Lactation A Guide for Maximizing Breastmilk Production
http://www.mamadearest.ca/en/info/ne...-lactation.htm
~Cath

[operamommy]

You most definately can!! I relactated for my ds2 after about 2 months. You've got some great info from other posters. What worked best for me was using a lact-aid for every single feeding and taking dom. Ds2 is now 23 months old (we began nursing again when he was 3 months old) and we're still nursing. If you need any support, help, or anything, please PM me.

[chocokat]

thanks everyone!
well I have to say that I nurse my dd to sleep today, im not sure if she got anything but she was totally interested and wanted more! the only thing that worries me is that my breasts feel totally empty. but hopefully I can do this!

[tammyswanson]

Just saw this post on the other bf forum, so there is hope!
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=765474

[haynmama]

I did w/DS. I had to stop nursing because I had to take radioactive iodine because of thyroid cancer. A few months later, I asked my dr. if I could nurse again. He looked a me weird, but did some research and said it was fine. It took a couple weeks for my supply to get back to normal, but I wanted to do it so badly.