Relactation for a 9 month old
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Topic: Relactation for a 9 month old
Posted By: Roses are Red
Subject: Relactation for a 9 month old
Date Posted: 22 November 2010 at 10:25pm
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I have posted this in the feeding section as well but think it would get more hits here.
So when my wee boy was about 8 months old I decided to wean him off the boob and move to FF full time, now a month or so later I am trying to get my milk back in so I can feed him at least half his feeds a day. The dr has perscribed domperidone and it seems to be helping produce more milk, the issue is now Riley wont latch on. Up to this week he would but when I tried him a couple of times last week he attempted to suckle for a few minutes before getting frustrated and biting me. The second time he would not let go so I had to use my stern "no" voice which makes him cry. I am wondering if he is associating BFing with being told off so wanting to see if anyone has any suggestions on how I can get him back on the boob... i have read the previous threads on relactation but none of them cover this. Thanks in advance, I really want to do this, I regret 100% stopping ------------- 
 Angel March 2011
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Replies:
Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 8:14am
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If he has a good deep latch then he wont be able to bite cos they can only bite when the nipple slips forward into the front of their mouth. Once he is latched, holding him close into you so that he cant move his head backward and move the nipple to the front of his mouth where he can bite.
If u need to delatch him, slip your little finger inside the corner of his mouth to break the suction. Try expressing (by hand or pump) to get a let down, so that he doesnt have to do much work for the milk to first come in, then put him on. With a bottle the milk is available immediatly, but with bf they have to do a different motion for about 2 mins, before the milk comes in, then u will see him taking bigger sucks, drawing the milk in. Expressing first to get the milk to come in will take the frustration away, and once he gets used to being back on the breast u shouldnt have to do it anymore. Regular expressing (every 3 hrs) will help your milk come in, especially if he is not yet feeding well at the breast, if u express regularly and build up your supply then it will be easier for him when he feeds. Relax! Stress hormones will inhibit letdown, so if u are uptight and anxious about him feeding, that couls be stopping you having a letdown and adding to his frustration. Think about making sure your shoulders are down and relaxed and u are sitting in a good relaxed, supported positon. You could also try feeding him when he is sleepy (before of after a sleep). Hope some of that helps! Good on you for wanting to bf again, you will get there! |
Posted By: Nothing
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 8:19am
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Heya, I have no advice as I havent been in your position, but I found this link. Its about getting an older child to re-latch after a 2nd baby is born, but some of the posts could be relivant to your situation. Good luck, dont give up, it can be done
http://www.facebook.com/#!/peacefulparenting/posts/160941477275751 ------------- 
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 12:24pm
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Thanks guys and thanks Aethalia for the link there is some great ideas in there.
i have started expressing every 3 hours today to try and get more milk, the first time I got 10mls (if i was lucky) from each breast but thats better than last week when I got nothing  -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: Renee & Lauren
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 2:12pm
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I tried this with DS but my dr didn't believe in medication.. I can tell you I had trouble as DS had no idea what to do anymore..after I gave up trying I found out I needed the medication and had to go to a lactation consultant (and they cost the earth). Good on you for trying to start up again tho ------------- http://lilyslim.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 3:35pm
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You could contact a local LeLache Legue or check out the Breast Feeding NZ facebook page- its great for advise/ideas too.
Dont worry too much about the ammout u can express off- the idea is that u are stimulating your breasts- sending messages to your brain to produce more milk! |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 4:06pm
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When I was trying relactation with DS, I read that putting marmite or vegemite on your nipples can help them suck again, as when they are sucking the marmite off they *should* bring some milk down, get the taste and hopefully feed again. ------------- |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 23 November 2010 at 8:24pm
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Yeah I've heard the same as Sheena and your best bet for advice is probably LLL or a LC.
Also remain calm, stress can affect everything too! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 24 November 2010 at 12:58pm
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I failed to mention in my original post that he was refusing to go near my boob/nipple, he would scream and try to get away... Well today we had some progress, he got as far at letting my nipple touch his lip before he moved away and he wasnt screaming
I know hes still not feeding off me but its a start and in the meantime I am expressing at least 3x a day to try and get my milk in and I just gave Riley 30mls in a bottle and at first he was wary, not really drinking it, then he started drinking it with his usual gusto he attacks his bottles. Oh and I have changed the teats on the bottles and gone back to newborn size so he has to work harder in the hopes that he finds feeding off me easier to get milk from. -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 24 November 2010 at 9:29pm
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I know this isn't the same, but it may help.
When DS went through a nursing strike a while ago I found offering all the time, like every half an hour or so helped. Lots of skin to skin. And just relaxing (as much as is possible). The minute he looked slightly interested I would express a little milk off so it was sitting on my nipple and pop him on. At times he would only take one suck and come off screaming again. Good luck and good on you for giving it a go. -------------  
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Posted By: Raspberryjam
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 8:02am
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I have heard marmite can help with this! I have no advice . but just wanted to say good on you, hope it works out ------------- http://lilypie.com] 
http://lilypie.com] 
http://lilypie.com] 
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 9:32am
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Hmmm had a few marmite comments, Might have to give that a go, but at the moment its a nightmare to even get him near my nipple, let alone sucking it.
if i get him when he is relaxed he seems to relax and move towards it then realise it not his bottle and he stiffens up and moves away. He has spent more time looking at it lately when i have tried though so will keep going. I am trying not to get upset when he refuses buts its hard sitting there giving him a bottle when i could be feeding him. i wonder if when feeding him the bottle I should put the teat close to my boob so its like hes feeding off that it might get him used to being abck around it... Argh I wish he would just latch on and see there is milk there  -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 10:44am
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have you tried bathing wih him?
and maybe trying when he is half asleep... do you hold him the same way for breast and bottle? |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 11:01am
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Was going to ask the same thing Bizzy, re holding and BF/bottle feeding, he may get confused if you have him independently feeding himself the bottle. I know some mums prop baby up on a pillow to bottle feed.
I def think holding him close may help things. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 11:44am
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Ummm the other thing you could try is to give him a few sucks off the bottle to satisfy that initial hunger then try swapping him straight onto the breast? I had to put DS on a bottle when we came home from hospital because he was too tired to latch for a while and that is how I did it with him.
Have you called LLL or an LC yet? Or maybe try PMing fattartsrock? -------------
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 26 November 2010 at 5:23pm
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Wow lots of questions....
First one, I hold him the same for bottle feeding and BF, he likes to hold the bottle but I am trying to discourage that. I also put the bottle right near my naked boob so he gets used to the idea of being near it when he feeds. I might give the bath thing a go coz he used to love feeding in the bath. I rang LLL this morning and she suggested all that I am doing and just lots of exposure to the boob. She advised that I dont offer a bottle straight after I offer the boob or he will associate refusing the breast with getting a bottle. He seems to be getting better with it, he actually took the nipple right into his mouth and closed his mouth this afternoon, he didnt suck but thats def progress from screaming everytime he went near it. -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 29 November 2010 at 7:44pm
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Well still no closer to actually sucking - starting to think perhaps this is not going to work.
i even tried having a bath with him but no go  -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 29 November 2010 at 8:19pm
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Re the bath, at first Lily looked at me oddly!
What about going in for a dream feed and seeing if he takes that? ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Emmi_
Date Posted: 29 November 2010 at 10:42pm
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Wow, good on you Tauris!!
I havnt been through this, but been through a 3 week nursing strike, after my supply drastically dropped and DD wouldnt go anywhere near my boob. Just having your boobs out and having him near them (with out feeding) lets him get used to them, let him smell you, and smell the milk. I 2nd who ever said about expressing to get your let down and then latching him on. Also have you tried a nipple shield? It could make your breast more like a bottle (and if you expressed first the milk would come immediately) You can also put a wee tube (called a feeding tube, maybe ask the pharmacy or GP if they have one/can get one) and put it through the nipple shield on your breast (other end in a bottle of milk), if he will latch and suck then he will start to associate your breast with milk, and the sucking will stimulate your supply too (its called a Lactaid) How much domperidone are you on? You can take up to 2 4 times a day... And also 2nd the feeding when sleepy (the middle of the night feed was the only one DD would feed from me for a week or so) And also the swapping from bottle to breast as soon as he relaxes. Your doing an awesome job, give it a wee while longer, its not an easy road but definitely worth it in the long run if you can  Good on you for giving it a go!! Let me know if i can help (can have a hunt for a feeding tube if you cant find one)------------- 
+1 May 09 Angel
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Posted By: UpsyDaisy
Date Posted: 29 November 2010 at 10:55pm
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I think you are doing an awesome job too and please don't be too hard on yourself if it doesn't work out.
I was going to suggest a nipple sheild as a last resort too as its more like a bottle and they don't have to latch the same. You need a good supply though or nipple sheild will just make him frustated again if you don't have the supply cos they have to work harder/suck more to get the milk through. If your supply is enough try to express a little into the sheild so it is there for him immediately. Your DS still won't be latching properly but at least he may be associate the breast with milk again getting emb closer from you rather a bottle. The downside will be that you still have to teach him to latch again to wean off the nipple sheild but if you are desperate it may be worth a shot. |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 30 November 2010 at 11:20am
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Tray, if you don't have any nipple shields let me know - I have 2 spare that I never opened - I have flat/inverted nipples and MW/MIL recommended them but I never had to use them because DD latched fine no problems. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 30 November 2010 at 11:42am
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I have never thought about the nipple shields, might give that at try so if the offer is there Nic that would be great thanks!
I have heard of the lacaids/nursing suplementer but didnt think they were avaliable here, I read about them on lots of US websites, might have to ask the chemist about it. I am taking 2 domperidone 3x a day at the moment, I am struggling with keeping the milk supply up coz my breast pump is just a manual and my boobs dont respond well to manual (just electric) and I cant afford a new one... so pissed off coz I just sold my electric one about a month ago (typical huh) -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: Emmi_
Date Posted: 30 November 2010 at 2:00pm
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Could you hire an electric? or look on TM??
the actual 'lactaid' system arnt available here, but we just used a shield with the feeding tube poked through and the other end in a bottle of milk and as DD sucked milk would come out. If you hold the bottle above baby then gravity makes the milk flow, maybe once hes latched and sucking good then hold the bottle below him and make him work a little for his milk (its still not hard to get out, but a little harder than a free flow) -------------
+1 May 09 Angel
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 30 November 2010 at 7:35pm
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So the tube is the same as the baby naso gastric tubes then? I'll go ask at the chemist tomorrow, thanks! -------------
Angel March 2011
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Posted By: Emmi_
Date Posted: 30 November 2010 at 10:30pm
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Yep it is Good luck! Let me know if ti gets too difficult, I can send you one -------------
+1 May 09 Angel
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 01 December 2010 at 9:56am
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Cool, will have a look around for it this arvo, we've just done a big tidy up so will have to have a good look around for it! Let you know on FB when I find it! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Roses are Red
Date Posted: 01 December 2010 at 12:05pm
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Thanks Nic!
And thanks Emmi, I am going to ring a couple of chemists soon and see, I went into my usual one this morning and they didnt have them. -------------
Angel March 2011
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