Mummylu very kindly agreed to share her relactation experience:
"My youngest son, has been very ill. At birth we gave it our best shot at breastfeeding but it all went wrong so he was put onto formula. After a few days, he began being very sick and after a few more days he was very very sick. It was flying accross the room, he was in agony and it just got worse. Several trips to the doctors and the health visitors told us nothing and I just kept hassling them for answers. After reading on a forum I frequent I began to wonder if relactating may help (beginning to breastfeed again). I was confused as I had no milk, but my ever so wonderful friends explained to me that ANY woman can make milk and that the female body is amazing! (very true
So after suggesting this to my doctor, he thought it was worth a shot, it was a long shot, but worth the trying. My health visitor opposed this idea, but who was she to say a DOCTOR was wrong. So, without support from her, I began relactating on the 23rd June 2008. (I'll go into the hows if you want to know more). I made sure that nearly everyone I knew was praying for this and one woman told me that she *knew* it was going to work and the Eddie would be well once drinking my milk!
A brief run down of what happened:
Day 1: Soreness in nipples
Day 3: Drips!!!! Was told not to expect anything until day 7 at least! In the afternoon Ed definately got some milk from me! By the end of the day I managed to express 1.5ml!
Day 4: 7ml out! But I was sore... Later Ed had a feed with only a little bit of suppliment and I pumped out 10ml!!!! In the evening I managed to pump out 20ml and I emailed a lady from La Leche League to arrange meeting her to check that everything was going ok.
Day 5: lact-aid arrived he had 20ml supplimented through that so he's eating both me and the suppliment but building up my supply!
Day 8: Very sore, run down and upset.
Day 9: He's taking full feeds every 2- 2.5hours. He still takes a suppliment in the evening. 95% there!
Day 11: Met LLLC. In the evening it was very up and down and Ed had lots of suppliment.
Day 17: Didnt have to suppliment any milk!!! and i have lots of milk.
Day 18: Still supplimenting abit until full supply is in.
Day 22: 2nd day of no suppliment!!!!!!
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Here we are now, week 3 and 5 days and since monday he's only had 2 supplimented feeds. This is amazing! God CLEARLY wanted it to be this way, not only to heal Ed but to give me my dream of breastfeeding my baby! I am overwhelmed and amazed. We are taking it one day at a time. It should've been at least 9 weeks before I got to where I am now - A LITTLE RELACTATION IS NOT DIFFICULT FOR GOD!
Will let you know when I no longer suppliment!"
I believe that she was no longer needing to supplement at the one month mark
Mummylu has also asked that I let you all know that she is happy to answer any questions or discuss her experiences in more detail via pm, msn or telephone, so if you'd like to find out more, feel free to pm her
