As you all may know from my last post I decided to stop pumping! After much thought I have decided to try and re lactate. Now if you google ( which I google everything!) re-lactation there is not much information on this topic!
re lactation is- re-establishing breastfeeding after stopping breastfeeding, or after a period of very little breastfeeding.
In my case- I am re-establishing a pumping routine after a short period of not pumping! So it’s going to be much harder and there is evidence of this being able to happen but not much….
This site was very helpful and states:
What are my odds of successfully relactating?
There is little research on relactation, but the available studies strongly suggest that, with proper support, most mothers can partially or fully relactate. Below are some studies that offer some encouraging findings about the success of relactation. It’s important to bear in mind that in most of these studies mothers received help in relactating from trained breastfeeding support people.
So here was my schedule from my last few pumping sessions//
Wednesday, March 5 I pumped my last time that morning at 6am.
Thursday, March 6- went all day without pumping.
Friday, March 7 I had to do something to relieve my pain and engorgement! I tried a few things like heat compresses, hot showers, Ibuprofen…. a friend suggested to do one final pump and the next day I should dry up completely. Well I pumped at 4:30 after I got home from school and pumped 15 ounces! BUT the milk was very cloudy and liquidy, it did not look like milk because the nutrients were not present.. :/ I dumped it all and felt instant relief, but was sad. I did not want to stop pumping! The next 2 days I felt good, my boobs felt totally different and also looked different… I did not like these 2 things at all 🙁
Saturday and Sunday, March 8,9- I did not pump at all for over 48 hours
Monday, March 10- I made the decision to pump again and pumped that night at 9 and got 7 OUNCES!
Tuesday, March 11- I pumped at 6am and only got 1.5 ounces and then again at lunch and then at 4:00 that day and barely got 3 ounces
Wednesday, March 12- pumped at 6am I got 2 ounces and again at 12 and got 5 ounces!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the reason why I chose to TRY and start pumping again..
I go to get a few bags out of the freezer and thawed them out, they SMELLED… I mean reeked! I heard that the reason it smelled was because of lipase..
Lipase is an enzyme that is normally present in human milk and has several known beneficial functions:
- Lipases help keep milk fat well-mixed (emulsified) with the “whey” portion of the milk, and also keep the fat globules small so that they are easily digestible (Lawrence & Lawrence, p. 156).
- Lipases also help to break down fats in the milk, so that fat soluble nutrients (vitamins A & D, for example) and free fatty acids (which help to protect baby from illness) are easily available to baby (Lawrence & Lawrence, p. 156).
- The primary lipase in human milk, bile salt-stimulated lipase (BSSL), “has been found to be the major factor inactivating protozoans” (Lawrence & Lawrence, p. 203).
I had just thrown 4 bags away and thought she wouldn’t have enough milk to last her a month if I was throwing all of this away! I was freaking out!
Jerod knew I wasn’t at peace about this and that I was clearly upset. He said ” I support you with whatever you decide to do… if you want to pump then I support that”
Y’ALL THOSE WORDS CHANGED ME… I was happy, joyful, excited, relieved, not guilty, not worrying….
I am in the process of trying to get my supply back and slowly it’s coming back!
I have been speaking to a board certified lactation consultant and she recommended:
- fenugreek ( 9 pills a day)
- mothers milk tea
- a ton of water
- rest
- don’t stress
- pump as often as possible ( going to be hard since I teach)
- skin to skin
I am trying to pump at least 4-5x a day to build it back up.
She said the volume could go up and down until my supply comes back. within a few days.
but ladies I am seeing an increase! I have been taking fenugreek for almost 1 day now and my boobs ( it’s funny to type that word, sorry) feel like they have the past 7 months! I love it!
So of you may say ” Girl, you’re crazy… what are you doing???” Why go back to being strapped up to that machine???
WHY: because my daughter means that much to me and if God has blessed me with the ability to produce milk I am going to do everything in my power to produce that milk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
will it be hard????? HECK YES it will be.
will it be worth it?????? HECK YES it will be.
I have some very supportive friends and amazing Instagram mommas to encourage me along this journey!
I never in a million years would think re-lactation was possible and that I would try and do it!
A I N S L E Y is worth it.
This is what is best for h e r .
I totally support you! Breastfeeding has been the best experience with my baby girl! I hope to keep it up as along as possible (well… Until a year!)
Hi Brittany…I came across your blog via Instagram 🙂 Great job! I'm an exclusive pumper myself for 9 months and it has been totally worth every exhausting second. I've never heard of anyone being an EPer when I started…had to do all my research…sadly, not a lot of info out there. Always breastfeeding/pumping 🙂 Keep up the great work!
http://www.babykinard.blogspot.com