Low Milk Supply: “Mindset Shifts” (Guest Post)

Having low milk supply can be very difficult for people –especially when they’ve always wanted to breastfeed. People will do almost anything to increase supply. They research formula, learn about things like “refill rate,” supplementation methods and herbs and foods for milk supply. This mom had an aha moment which helped her look at her situation with a different lens. She is shown here nursing her baby with a homemade supplementer. Thank you so much for generously sharing your  thoughts with all of us!

Today I realized I have very fast refill – I can refill my bottle with formula in less than a minute! I can provide my baby instantly with however much milk she needs. I celebrate living in the 21st century with high quality science milk.

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Rule #1: Feed The Baby!

Learning to supplement at the breast.

Breastfeeding. It’s what I’m all about as a lactation consultant. I have built an entire career around helping you to breastfeed your baby. Part of the reason that lactation consultants even exist is that our culture didn’t always place such a high value on breastfeeding. But now it seems like the pressure to avoid formula is everywhere. In fact sometimes it seems that everyone around you is concerned about whether or not your baby gets your precious milk. Continue reading

Breastfeeding Help from your Physician? Maybe Not.

photoBreastfeeding is something that every mother and every baby has a right to do. More importantly, it is widely accepted as the preferred way to feed a baby. We can all rattle off numerous health risks to mom and baby that can result from artificial feeding. It follows, then, that our health care providers—especially those who are charged with the task (and privilege!) of supporting new mothers and vulnerable infants—would be well versed in how to support the breastfeeding dyad. Tragically, this is sometimes not the case. Continue reading

Low Milk Supply: Tricky to Treat!

Supplementing at breast

Supplementing at the breast.

When a mom is experiencing difficulty making enough milk for her baby, the usual suggestion from well meaning professionals is often, “Nurse your baby more —your body will rally and you will make more milk in just a few days.” This suggestion is based on the law of supply and demand. When more milk is removed from the breast, the breast will respond by making more milk. While this advice can be legitimate in some situations, many times it can result in an exhausted baby who, despite mom’s best efforts, can’t get enough milk to gain well. Continue reading

I’ve Lost my Milk! Is it Possible to Relactate?

From first-time mom, Shelly:

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I’m making a toast: Here is to trying again. Here is to providing the best for my baby. Here is to hard times. Here is to when you thought it was all over and starting anew.

Shelly's baby--latching again!

Shelly’s baby–latching again!

The back-story from Shelly:

I am in the process of getting some health issues under control which I know has contributed to declining milk production since about 5 months. So now, at 7 months, my daughter shows little interest in the breast. If I completely stop providing milk for her now, would it be possible to re-establish in a couple months once I can get my own body under control? I have PCOS and thyroid issues and it has taken a while to get into a doctor to re-test hormone levels and get it treated. I would love to keep giving her breast milk once I can produce again, but I really need to focus on me right now.  I am exhausted every day to the point where I can barely take care of my daughter. Adding in pumping would be too much!

Renee’s response: I think what you’re saying is that pumping would be too difficult for you with your health issues? Yes it’s possible to re-lactate. but not easy.

It’s nice to know it is possible. I just didn’t want to get my hopes up if there was little to no chance at all.

Here’s an update from Shelley.. a month later:

After my milk supply decreased, I started my baby on solids and tried formula, but wasn’t happy with it. I switched to a EU (European) brand that I still use now. Over the past 2 1/2 months, not surprisingly, my supply dwindled to just about nothing.  I had realized that getting to 6 months with breastfeeding was a huge thing to be proud of; something most women in my family never got to experience.  After learning that it was possible to get my milk back,  I decided to try last week. It was time to get back into it, no matter how hard it was. So I started pumping again. She needs my milk. If I never can 100% breastfeed again, that is fine. But I want her to want me when she is hungry, not the bottle. This morning I tried to breastfeed for the first time in many weeks. She latched on!! It only lasted a minute or two, but it was something. It was a start. There is now hope that I am not insane and this could actually work.Thank you for your support and encouragement!

 

Thank YOU, Shelly for sharing your story with us!

Note: If you are interested in resuming breastfeeding after cessation, please contact an IBCLC experienced in helping with relactation and inducing lactation. She can help you develop a plan that is right for you.