Relactation, It Can Be Done!

by Christina West

While I was pregnant with my third daughter, all I could think about was holding her, smelling her, and nursing her. I had nursed both of the older girls, and considered myself a pro. I delivered her easily and she latched on like a champ right after birth. My milk came in very quickly and she was an excellent eater.

Imagine my shock when we took her in at 3 days old, to be told that she had jaundice. Bad enough for the bili-blanket, which was new to me. She was supposed to stay on it unless I was nursing her.

After two weeks her numbers just weren't coming down. Then they noticed that she had a dimple at the base of her spine and scheduled an ultrasound.

The pediatrician recommended that we temporarily wean her to formula to get those numbers down. I refused to completely wean her, but we went to every other feeding during the day, but just breast milk at night.

Her numbers went way down and we thought all was well.

I noticed that I was struggling, three kids, juggling a marriage, a house that was never clean enough, the dog, I was just drowning. So I went in to see my OB to talk about maybe getting me some Zoloft to get me over the hump when Abby was 4 weeks old.

As I related to him all that was going on, now they wanted to do a liver function test on Abby just to be sure, and the ultrasound for her spine was coming up, I just broke down, sobbing in his office. I was tired and overwhelmed, not because of or related to nursing. That was the one thing that was going perfectly. He rather quickly decided that I had PPD, and prescribed Lexapro. Which you can not take while breastfeeding.

When I mentioned it, he told me to "discontinue" breastfeeding. I said no, and he just went on and on about how I needed to take care of myself, and that at one month, Abby had already gotten all she needed from my milk. I knew he was wrong, but I didn't have time to argue, as Abby needed to be at her one month check up. As soon as the doctor saw Abby, I knew I was in trouble.

She was yellow. I knew she was. They tested her and sure enough her bilirubin levels had shot up again.

I am an asthmatic and I take Advair for it and they suspected that was the cause of the extended jaundice. She pressured me heavily to stop breastfeeding for Abby's sake. No one mentioned to me that I should try to adjust my medications. And I was so exhausted and upset that I didn't think of it either. I came home devastated.

Sobbing to my husband, I told him what both doctors had said. And I knew from the look on his face, he agreed. So I weaned her. Against my better judgment, but I was worn down and I needed my asthma meds.

Abby's liver function test was fine and the dimple on her bottom turned out to be nothing. All that worry was erased.

I looked in the freezer and I had about 30-35 bottles of EBM stored. I decided to give her one every day until they ran out. By the time she was 12 weeks old, the milk was almost gone. The day I defrosted the last bottle, I just broke down. I was so embarrassed giving her formula. I let anyone feed her that wanted to, I just hated it. It felt so wrong!

So, I got online and searched "Relactating". I swear I heard angels singing. I was so thrilled. I called a lactation consultant, went in to see my regular doctor and they both were so supportive and sure it would work! They prescribed Reglan 3 times a day and told me to pump every 2-3 hours with a hospital grade pump.

So I did, and after ten days, I was getting white milk from the pump, after three weeks I was able to get enough to make her a bottle every other day and now, seven weeks later she is nursing again like nothing ever happened. I do still have to supplement with formula, but only about 8-10 ounces a day.

She is almost exclusively breastfed after being weaned for two whole months!!!

It was a long road, but so worth it. I had no idea it could be done and now my daughter nurses all day long and it feels so wonderful to know I am giving her the best I can. I have complete faith in the fact that within another month, maybe two, she will be exclusively breastfed. I can't wait to throw all the bottles out!

It taught me a lesson not to take anything for granted, and to always get a second opinion, but more importantly that you don't need to live with the regret. Try and try again!!!