Yesterday, Eric and I were at Applebee's and Finnegan was fussing like a little devil so I whipped my boobie out and I fed him. The reason I first thought to start relactating was the time that Eric and I were at the Soy House and I wanted to nurse Finn. I finally got to experience nursing in public, without a cover, and I felt very empowered and proud of myself and my beautiful baby boy. He nursed for about 15 minutes and then he passed out. It was magic. Boobie magic.
Having a little snack! |
I am now pumping about half of Finnegan's daily needs. The small break I took did set me back a little but I still met my goal. I pump a bit more than 2 ounces every three hours. My goal from now on is to stick with it, nurse Finnegan more often, and hopefully in a couple weeks we'll be back to a full supply and cut out formula almost completely.
I wish that every woman knew about relactation. The body is an amazing thing and I am so proud of myself for the effort I've made to give my son the best.
Are you taking anything to help your supply? I am getting ready to start my 4th wk of relactating and my supply is ok but doesn't seem to be increasing much anymore. Also I am 10 wks pp. My baby will nurse several times a day but seems to still need a bottle with at least an ounce afterwards and sometimes he just flat out refuses to bf. Sometimes I want to give up but I just can't yet. I am pumping but am not consistent with it as I have a 21 mo old daughter as well. I really want to get back to ebf but am afraid it's not possible with my baby being in daycare. Anyways your story is inspiring
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya,
DeleteI am taking Reglan, a prescription medication that is known to help with milk supply, and Fenugreek, an herbal supplement you can pick up at the store. I plan on purchasing on Blessed Thistle (another supplement) because I heard that it works really well when taken with Fenugreek.
Don't give up! I know that it gets overwhelming and you can become discouraged, but you should know that you're doing an amazing thing for your baby. My LC told me that even giving him a tablespoon of breastmilk a day makes a big difference. You're making a tremendous effort to give your baby what is best and you should be proud of yourself.
The one thing I would suggest is to try and be more consistent with pumping.
I'm not sure if we will ever EBF because I enjoy bottle feeding sometimes and pumping rather than nursing. But even if I never get my full supply back, I am happy to continue pumping whatever I can for Finn because I know that it's what is best for him and I would do anything for this little human. :) You're amazing. Keep it up.
Is it possible to relactate without a pump?? I dont have one and am so frustrated that I havent been able to breaatfeed. After reading your story I want to try!! My baby is 2wks old, I hope it is not too late...
ReplyDeleteIt is not too late!
DeleteDid you know that some women can induce lactation without ever having given birth? You really have an upper hand because it actually hasn't been that long at all for you. Most moms attempt relactation after months! For us it had been 2 months before I started again.
If you are going to attempt relactation, pick up some Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle at your local supplements store. If you can't afford to purchase an electric pump, or don't have access to a free one, then go out and buy a manual! You can pick one up at Target for like 20 dollars and it will be so worth it. In the beginning, I did quite a few days where I only hand expressed. Any kind of breast stimulation will help, even if you're just massaging your breasts. The main thing is it has to be often and consistent.
You can start with hand expressing and massaging your breasts every 2 hours or so and then eventually, once you can, begin pumping.
Thanks. I really want to breastfeed him without having to supplement with bottles after. I was taking fenugreek but I am going to take a break to see if my baby is having a reaction to it. I am waiting on some more milk special blend to see if that helps boost my production. Today was hard because I went to-do a weighing before and after he nursed but he refused to nurse. I was so upset. He dies really good at night but during the day not so good. I wish I had never taken that 2.5 wk break, it messed everything up. I am worried I won't get my full supply up enough to ever be able to ebf again and all I want is to go and do and not worry about bottle or if he is going to refuse to nurse this time and ect... I am not giving up yet but sometimes I feel like it.
ReplyDeleteI know that sometimes it may feel like it, but breastfeeding isn't an all-or-nothing deal. Don't give up. Even if you never resume EBF your son, you will be doing what is best for him by giving him whatever amount of breastmilk you can. Hang in there. Your baby is only 10 weeks old and he may just take him a bit longer to truly get the hang of breastfeeding.
DeleteWhen Finnegan was just a few weeks old, breastfeeding was so hard for us. Now that he is older, even after not nursing for two months, he is super great at it and we don't struggle at all. Be careful to not let it get to you. He may begin to associate negative feelings with breastfeeding if you guys have stressful nursing sessions. Give him some more time to learn and I'm sure you won't regret it. :)
Thanks, and you are right it is not an all or nothing thing and I am greatful for that. He is a good nurser WHEN he nurses. He was a good nurser from day 1, but it was me that was having a hard time. The stress, thrush, no sleep, oversupply, my baby had relux, so many things were happening that it just made me so stressed. Anyways I took a 2 week break (kind of) where I just nursed when I felt up to it. We would nurse in the morning and then several times in the night. But soon he started preferring the bottle and would only nurse through my letdowns since it was fast and then when it was over he was done and wanted a bottle. We were down to him nursing through a letdown only 3 times a day when I went back to work and I relized that I wasnt ready to give up our nursing reltationship yet. So he still does nurse but he does fight the breast many times. When he fights it I just stop and give him a bottle. He nurses the best at night and usually I dont even have to get up and fix bottle in the middle of the night because he will nurse. He is getting about 50% bm and 50 % formula I would say. He gets formula only at the sitter now and then bm at home whether nursing or in a bottle. Honestly it is not the milk that keep me wanting to do this( I know that may sound selfish) it is the physical bond of nursing. My dd was formula fed and so very amazing and healthy and we have an amazinf bond. But I wasnt able to nurse her and went into PPD bcause of it. This time Has been so different and I dont have PPD but the desire to have that physical attachment that comes with nursing is extremely strong in me.
ReplyDeleteHow often is your baby nursing now?
We differ in this way. I actually stopped nursing because I wasn't able to bond with Finn. I only truly bonded with him after I began bottle feeding. I'm glad to be pumping again and I'm doing it mostly for the milk, rather than the bonding. I prefer to bottle feed and only nurse Finn a couple times a day at the most, most days I don't even think to do it. Although, when he does, he is really quick to latch on and stays on til he's finished. I feel like I will be more inclined to nurse him when I'm producing more. As of now I am only pumping a little more than an ounce out of each breast every few hours.
DeleteFinn also get's half and half right now. :) I'm seeing an increase every day though, so hopefully in a few weeks he'll be getting all breastmilk.