How to restore lactation - 10 main recommendations

Why lactation is fading

Thanks to active propaganda and information, most modern mothers themselves want to breastfeed their baby, because they realize that it is important and beneficial for the baby. Sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that, despite a great desire to feed, lactation fades away and needs to be restored. This usually happens in the following cases:

Lactation crisis. A temporary decrease in milk volume is normal. It is associated with hormonal changes, growth spurts in the baby, the restoration of the menstrual cycle in the mother and even the phases of the moon. If you do not "miss" the moment of the crisis (and it lasts 2-3 days), then you can avoid the consequences by further stimulating the breast and more often offering it to the baby. After 2-3 days the milk volume will be restored and the feeding can be continued safely. If milk is gone and the mother immediately transferred the baby to a mixture, lactation will decline;
Termination of feeding for medical reasons. For example, if the mother is sick and takes medications prohibited for hepatitis B. It is also worth stopping feeding for a while if the mother underwent breast surgery. After an illness, breastfeeding will have to be re-established;
Separation of mom and baby. It happens that a mother or baby is taken to the hospital and feeding becomes impossible. Sometimes, due to the mother's employment (a study session, personal affairs, or the need to temporarily go to work), the baby cannot receive breast on demand. In such cases, relatives usually feed the baby with expressed milk, but due to weak breast stimulation, lactation decreases. In order to preserve hepatitis B, it is very important after the break to work closely with the restoration of lactation;
Wrong organization of GW. It has long been known that feeding rules from the times of our mothers and grandmothers only harm breastfeeding. If a young mother begins to feed by the hour, add water, give a pacifier and wean the baby from night feeds, the baby will not suckle a little and milk will start to disappear. (Reading the big memo article - Fundamental advice for breastfeeding mothers about breastfeeding);
Stress and overwork. If a mother literally drives herself into a corner, trying to "pull" the whole house on her shoulders and keep the high bar of an exemplary wife and mother, she begins to live in constant tension. If the milk is burnt out, it means that stress hormones “rage” in my mother’s body, which inhibit lactation. (We read on the topic: how not to go crazy after childbirth).

How to restore breastfeeding

Decrease and even complete cessation of lactation is a problem, but it can be solved. Even a woman who has not given birth can establish lactation, and even if the mother was breastfeeding and temporarily stopped, the chances of success are very high. In addition to specific actions aimed at restoring lactation, it is very important to create a favorable environment around the mother and observe some conditions:

Take a realistic look at the situation and use patience if necessary. The younger the child's age, the easier it is to "train" him to breastfeeding again: for babies up to 3 months it is a question of 1-2 weeks, for children closer to half a year it takes much longer. On average, breastfeeding can be restored in the same time that was “spent” on the extinction of lactation;
Agree with your family for help. Establishing lactation takes a lot of time from the mother. With the baby at the breast, you need to spend literally all days and nights, so household chores will have to be entrusted to someone else. You can involve dad and agree with your grandmother so that she will house your house for a few days. (We read: Husband's help during GV);
Just in case, find the contacts of a breastfeeding consultant. In general, all actions to restore lactation are quite simple, but if there are doubts whether you are doing everything right, a specialist consultation will come in handy. (GW Consultant answers questions on this page)

Now that all the conditions for restoring lactation have been created, you can proceed to specific actions.

Offer your baby the breast at all times. Breast sucking by a baby is the most important "tool" for restoring lactation. In response to sucking, the hormone prolactin is produced, which is responsible for lactation. It is necessary to offer the breast to the child even when he himself does not express desire. In this case, it is imperative to abandon the pacifier, because in the event of lactation recovery, it is a serious competitor to the breast (We read: how to wean a child from a dummy). Let the baby suckle not only out of hunger, but also to satisfy the sucking reflex. If the baby himself does not breastfeed, do not stop offering, but use additional stimulation. This requires a breast pump. You can pump by hand, but this is not always effective, so it is better to get a "helper". In this case, you need to express milk at least 8 times per day. (On this topic: how to choose a breast pump and how to express breast)
Reduce the amount of supplements gradually. During the feeding break, you will have to feed the baby with formula. When you start to restore lactation - do not remove the mixture abruptly, it should be done gradually, using the scheme "breast - supplement - breast". This means that breastfeeding should begin and end with breast milk. By the way, in order not to confuse the baby with the confusion of the nipple and bottle during the relaxation period, you can give the mixture using a special feeding system at the breast (This system is a milk container with a thin tube extending from it. The container has a string that is put on the mother's neck, and the tube can be attached to the breast skin with a plaster so that its end is at the top of the nipple. Thus, when feeding, both the tube and the mother's breast are in the baby's mouth: from the tube, the baby sucks the mixture and, in parallel, sucks the breast. Video clip below ...).
Watch your diet. You don't need to do anything supernatural. During the recovery period of lactation, a nursing mother needs to drink enough water and eat a balanced diet (there must be protein in the menu). This does not so much affect milk production as it simply provides the body with the necessary resources to establish feeding.
Refer to folk and traditional medicines. Traditional medicine recommends special lactogonic teas and decoctions to restore lactation. Plants that can help bring milk back are cumin, anise, fennel, and nettle. You can buy dried pharmaceutical preparations and make decoctions yourself, or you can use ready-made lactogonous teas in bags. There are also hormonal drugs for lactation, but they can only be taken as directed by a doctor. (See the block with links below ...)
24-hour skin-to-skin contact. During the establishment of lactation, it is better for mother and child to literally "stick" to each other. Skin-to-skin contact, especially skin-to-skin contact, stimulates the mother's production of lactation hormones, and awakens the baby's instincts. Even if the baby himself refuses to breast, constantly being in close proximity to the mother's body, he will feel her smell, the smell of milk and will instinctively begin to be interested in the breast again. It is advisable not only to constantly be with the baby during the day, but also at night. For example, organize a joint dream.
Warm shower. A light massage of the breast with streams of warm water several times a day improves milk flow. This will not increase the milk volume, but the milk will flow out of the breast more easily, which means it will be easier for the baby to suck. This is especially important after the bottle, because many children choose a bottle precisely because it is possible not to strain too much with it: everything flows into the mouth by itself, while milk from the breast has to be “extracted” by sweating.
Thoracic back massage. Massaging the area between the shoulder blades and the neck area can activate the process of milk production. It is better if the massage is done by a specialist, but he must be warned that you are breastfeeding.
Full rest and no stress. Mom definitely needs to get enough sleep, walk in the fresh air and avoid stress. Stress hormones "block" lactation.
Breast massage - we read how to do breast massage correctly.
Drink fenugreek.

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You can breastfeed your baby even if you have little or no milk:

During the recovery period of lactation, the psychological mood of the mother is very important: she needs to act calmly and confidently. There are practically no irreversible situations with breastfeeding, so you just need to follow all the rules and wait for the result. It is not always fast, but if you do everything consistently and patiently, it will definitely be there.

How to increase lactation of breast milk at home (folk remedies and pills) - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/kormlenie-grudyu/kak-povyisit-laktatsiyu-grudnogo-moloka.html;
Teas for lactation - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/kormlenie-grudyu/chai-dlya-laktatsii.html;
Dill for breastfeeding - benefits for mothers and babies - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/kormlenie-grudyu/vsya-polza-ukropa-v-period-grudnogo-vskarmlivaniya.html
Does beer help to increase lactation - https://razvitie-krohi.ru/kormlenie-grudyu/pomogaet-li-pivo-dlya-povyisheniya-laktatsii.html.

What else you need to know about restoring lactation

Stagnation of milk in the breast is not a contraindication for feeding, therefore, lactostasis will practically not affect the ability to feed in any way. On the contrary, frequent latching of the baby to the breast is the best way to treat lactostasis;
Sometimes, to suppress already established lactation or to prevent its occurrence immediately after childbirth, women are prescribed drugs Dostinex or "Bromocriptine"... Both of these drugs reduce prolactin levels and thereby stop lactation. The need for such a rude cessation of lactation is for medical reasons. When the problems are over, moms ask themselves:is it possible to restore lactation after Dostinex or Bromocriptine? - Yes, it is indeed possible, and the recovery methods are no different from those listed above. Lactation is a physiological process, there are no special secrets in its establishment after drugs, you just need to start this mechanism again. The main assistant here is the baby himself, but all accompanying recommendations must be followed.

And finally: the most important thing is the mother's desire to breastfeed. Women restore lactation after illness, heavy operations, long separation from the baby. The examples of those who succeed are very inspiring, because if others succeed, then you will definitely succeed!