https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 05 May 2026 11:13:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684762 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:37:47 +0000 sarac 684762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, I'd really suggest trying an SNS or just letting her nurse. If you had a well established supply as recently as a few months back, you're likely to get something out of it. Especially if you can formula feed with the SNS - that shouldn't be a ton more work than just bottle feeding. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684646 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:21:15 +0000 BelugaBean 684646@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kiddosc: I've thought about this too. That way we she has the comfort but I don't have to stress out about getting my supply back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684536 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:56:16 +0000 kiddosc 684536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe you could just let her nurse in the evenings, or whenever it is when she's with you and comes at your chest mouth open, and let it be a comfort thing instead of a nourishment thing. Then you wouldn't have to worry about building up a supply. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684428 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:11:52 +0000 Ginger333 684428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If she'll latch and nurse and if you can get your hands on a supplementary nursing system (SNS) ... I bet you could avoid doing a lot of the pumping work. Because you stopped when you already had an established supply, it should be easier to get it back, in theory.<br /> <a href="http://theroadbacktobreastfeeding.blogspot.ca/2008/07/dr-jack-newman.html" rel="nofollow">http://theroadbacktobreastfeeding.blogspot.ca/2008/07/dr-jack-newman.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684043 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:41:22 +0000 anbanan15 684043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had considered trying right before I found I was pregnant again. DS stopped nursing 2 months prior to when I was going to try and I know my milk had dried up (at least I couldn't hand express any). If relactation didn't mean a massive elimination diet for us I would be trying right now while pregnant. I'm just not comfortable only eating a few foods and completely vegan while pregnant. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684033 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:35:09 +0000 loveisstrange 684033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BelugaBean: For me, that was why I quit doing it. I started to feel guilty about how much time I was spending on it when she was totally happy with her bottle. I realize now that I did it for me, not her. When I quit and finally said enough's enough, it felt like someone had lifted a giant weight off of me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684019 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:32:09 +0000 BelugaBean 684019@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@zippylef: I actually do like what you said because it gives me a lot of information about it. That's what I'm worried about. I'm worried about spending all of my time trying to relactate when she's been fine with formula. Plus I've gotten to spend more time with her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-684002 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:25:41 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 684002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is hard and takes commitment, but is definitely worth a try. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-683995 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:23:44 +0000 loveisstrange 683995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay... so you're probably not going to like what I have to say about it.</p> <p>I did it. I had quit breastfeeding about 3-4 weeks prior. It is a massive, massive commitment. You need to pump every 2 hours (yes, even at night). You'll have to take some kind of supplements. I was doing fenugreek and mother's milk tea and eating oatmeal. </p> <p>Now... I'm glad I tried it. It meant that I could say I tried everything to make it work and that meant a lot to me. BUT, if C had been 8 months old at the time, I wouldn't have bothered. She was 6 weeks old when I did it.</p> <p>For me, it came down to the time it took to pump, clean pump parts, etc versus how much time I got to spend with my child. Relactation requires a good half your day, at least, attached to your pump. Every 2 hours, 20 minutes pumping, another 5-10 cleaning everything and putting it away then you get like an hour and a half before you have to pull it all out again and start all over. It wasn't worth the stress, the time away from C and the sleep deprivation from getting up at night to pump.</p> <p>And in the end... after everything I did, I only was getting 5oz a day... and I had spent half the time you have not BFing. I carried on for 6 weeks doing it and thats it. For me, it was a massive undertaking and not worth that 1 bottle a day I could give her.</p> <p>I mean... try it if you think it's going to make you happy and going to make you feel better. It is possible, although it doesn't work for everyone. It's worth a try if it's really that important. </p> <p>And yes, you can be totally dried up in 6 weeks. Just FYI. I was pretty much dried up after 3-4. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-683979 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:19:36 +0000 T.H.O.U. 683979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the best thing you can do is try and then as much as you can to increase supply. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-683972 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:17:16 +0000 MamaMoose 683972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know @zippylef tried it so she may have some advice for you.</p> <p>For me this wouldn't work because LO REFUSES to suck for more than a few minutes if there isn't any milk. So I just don't think I could get her to give me the stimulation I would need. But maybe if you tried one of those supplemental nursing sytems it would work? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/relactation#post-683959 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:12:42 +0000 BelugaBean 683959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So the last time LO actually nursed was at around 6.5 months and the last time I pumped was around 7 months. She seemed to be weaning herself but then it appeared it was actually because she was getting teeth.</p> <p>Now, at 8.5 months, she's been pawing at my shirt again and acting like she wants to breastfeed (she comes at my chest with her mouth open). So I'm thinking about trying to relactate to maybe even just nurse her once a day. </p> <p>Is this going to be really really hard? She was excellent at nursing when she was smaller and I had a huge milk supply. I'm not even sure if I have any left but I would assume it wouldn't all be gone just yet (I don't know that obviously). Would it be worth going to talk to our LC to see just how big of a project this would be? I don't want to stress myself out over it and end up being miserable but if it's possible, I'd like to give it a shot. </p> <p>Does anyone have experience? I plan to go back and read the blog post on breastfeeding an adopted child to see if that'll help. </p>