I am sad that I stopped breastfeeding and want to start again

I really hope you can help me.  My son is several months old and I did breastfeed him for about a month after he was born.  I seriously want to breastfeed again.  Can this be done? Can a mother start making milk again?

I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!

Hi,

Starting up again with breastfeeding is definitely possible.  Many mothers have been successful in relactating.  Our bodies are designed for feeding babies for nearly our whole lives. I’m not saying this will be easy at first, but since you recently been breastfeeding, your body is already set.  You just need to start some hormones back into action, again.

Your biggest challenge may be getting your son to accept breastfeeding again.  Nursing requires more effort for the baby than a bottle.  Sometimes babies refuse to accept nursing once they have a bottle.

To begin with, breastfeed with your son in a quiet place that has no interruptions and low lighting.  You may have more success if he is sleepy but not fussy.  Play soothing music and be very relaxed.  Be patient; you may have to do this a number of times to get him back on breast. If you are relaxed during each session, your baby will be too and your success may hinge on your attitude when you and your baby begin this process.

To bring you milk back, you might want to do some breast pumping with a hand pump or an electric pump. Begin with 6 – 8 pumping sessions each day.  This is important to regaining milk supply; begin 2 night pumping sessions will go a long way to increase breastmilk.  The reason for this, is a hormone that women produce during weaning, called “feedback inhibitor”.  This hormone is triggered when a mother produces less milk.  Even if you pump during the day, without night pumping, you may not be able to get an ample milk supply. 

During, at least half, of these pumping sessions, empty your breasts, once your milk comes in, even if you are only getting small amounts. Emptying each breast completely 3-4 times a day will do two things. First, you will be getting to the “hind milk”, the richest milk and when this milk is removed, another hormone is signaled to increase milk supply.  The second reason is that this is the milk that babies love.  It is richer, sweeter, and more satisfying to the baby.

All the milk you pump, can and should be saved in the refrigerator or freezer. Read this article about Breastmilk Storage for detailed information about saving your breastmilk for future use.

If your son takes to the breast easily, you may be able to cut out a lot of the pumping, especially if you milk comes back with enough volume to satisfy your baby.

Try to avoid a pacifier, even if he is using one now.  Instead, let your baby come to breast when he needs to suck.  This will also help bring your milk back faster.  This may be difficult for the first few days, but there are lots of success stories about relactating.  But pacifiers can be a big part of why a baby won’t come to breast.  After several months of breastfeeding, you might let him have one, but anytime you add a pacifier you take the risk of the baby giving up on breastfeeding.

I hope this gives you some help toward relactating.  This is a great choice for both health and financial reasons for your baby and your family.  Here is another article that will give you great information on the cost of using formula, it is called Mother’s Milk Makes Cents.

The Milkmaid Tea, Fenugreek and More Milk Plus Vegetarian Capsules are good for any lactating mother. You could take them right away.  Even mothers who have never had a baby can lactate by using the techniques I have noted above.

The last piece of information I would like to share with you is to have confidence in your ability to regain your milk supply.  Believe in your ability to produce enough milk for your baby.  This process worked for thousands of years, before bottles and formula.  To say the least, it is tried and true.  The last 4 or 5 decades, women have done a lot less breastfeeding and this has led to a loss of knowledge and lack of confidence in mothers about breastfeeding. 

I wish you the very best in your efforts to breastfeed your baby.

Toni

 Most Women Can, But There is Work to Do, First 

Question from an Adopting Mother
  
   I was looking for any site that gave information on restarting breastmilk. I praying to find a some ideas on ways bring my milk in again.  My family is adopting a child in some time in the next month or so. I breast fed my other children. Yet, I haven’t breastfeed in 10 years.  How do I start producing breast milk again so that I can breast feed the adopted baby.  I was read about the Milkmaid Tea and the Milk Plus Capsules. Are they just for women who have just given birth?  Is there any hope of restarting breast milk. Thanks for looking into this for me. 

Roxanne

Answer from Wendy & Toni

The Milkmaid Tea and More Milk Plus Capsules are for any lactating mother, so yes, you can take them right away.  Even mothers who have never had a baby can lactate.  With only a month until your new baby arrives, you have some preparation to build your milk supply, to keep your baby interested in nursing.

To start up you milk supply, consider taking the supplements above.  Also, a breast pump will really help you get started before the baby arrives.  An electric double pump with 40-60 suction-and-release cycles per minute will get you on your way to breastmilk production. Begin with 8 to 10 pumping sessions each day.  In preparation, 1-2 night pumping will go a long way to increase breastmilk.  The reason for this is a hormone that women produce during weaning, called “feedback inhibitor”.  This hormone is triggered when a mother produces less milk.  When babies begin sleeping though the night and mom stops night feedings, this hormone signals the mammary glands to slow milk production.  Even if you pump during the day, without night pumping, you may not be able to get an ample milk supply. 

Avoid using pacifiers or bottle supplements until you and the baby are comfortably nursing on a regular basis.  Bottles and pacifiers take away a babies motivation to breastfeed.  Breast feeding is more difficult than taking a bottle.  Many mothers have found out that introducing a bottle too early will create a problem with nursing.

You can store the breastmilk you are pumping before your baby arrives, by freezing it until you need it, so your time pumping is not wasted.  You can use this when the family wants to feed the baby, after your nursing pattern is set.  They will get to be part of the feeding process, as well.

If your milk does not come in as well as you want, your doctor can prescribe some medications that support lactation.  Research these medications, Reglan and domperidone.  These meds do come with some side effects that a lot of mothers have found undesirable, like depression and other concerns. 

With your new baby on its way, don’t forget to take really good care of yourself.  Lactation requires a mother to eat well and get as much rest as possible.

Below is a list of the 10 Ways to Increase Breast Milk:

   10 Ways to Increase Breast Milk Supply                                                                                              

1.      Water – always make sure to get plenty of water during your breastfeeding or breast pumping experience. If you need a way to increase breast milk supply, you will be surprised just how quickly your supply will increase when you getting plenty of water in your system. The Mayo Clinic recommends that lactating women consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.

2.      More Milk Plus Vegetarian Capsules – increase breast milk supply quickly. (Start increasing your breast milk supply by purchasing More Milk Plus Vegetarian Capsules now.) They are available on our website. These organic time released herbs encourage increased breast milk production. Check out our new video about More Milk Plus Capsules.

3.      Fenugreek – you may probably find that this will increase breast milk supply within 1-2 days. In addition, it is very simple when taking the capsule form. (Start increasing your breast milk supply by purchasing this incredible capsule containing Fenugreek now.)

4.      Oatmeal - I began eating oatmeal immediately when I noticed my milk supply getting low. It always seemed to keep my breast milk supply up.

5.      Relaxation – you’ll be surprised, once you begin to relax while breastfeeding or your pumping sessions, at just how much more milk you will begin to have. If you are breast pumping, it is important not look at the breast milk going into the bottle while you are pumping.

6.      Sleep – Everyone says to get enough sleep, but what new mother gets enough sleep during those first weeks after the baby is born. The good thing about breast pumping is that dad can feed the baby while you get a few extra hours of sleep.

7.      Milkmaid Tea – you may find that this tea will begin to increase breast milk supply in about 2-3 days. Some moms have even said that it helps their baby with gas and colic. However, to prepare, steep like traditional tea. (Start increasing your breast milk supply by purchasing Milkmaid Tea now.)

8.      Brewer’s Yeast & Blessed Thistle – you can also take Brewer’s Yeast in capsule form. Some moms have found Brewer’s Yeast this causes gassiness for the baby and increases yeast infections. You can also take Blessed Thistle in capsule form. Some moms use these supplements in a mixture with other ingredients to create their own herbs.

9.      Breastfeed or Pump more frequently – If you need to increase your supply, begin to breastfeed or pump again more often. If pumping, each session will bring you fewer ounces, but with the extra pumping sessions each day, the total ounces should increase each day.

10.   Prescription drugs – After speaking with your doctor, you may decide that prescription drugs are the way to increase milk supply. However, beware of the side effects of these medications.