Q: Good ma’am. Thanks for being there for us. Please help me out, this is my first child. I planned to breast feed him for 6 months but sickness did not allow me for one month. I am ok now and I want to feed my baby with breast milk but it is not coming out. Please, what will I do? Can I still feed him with breast milk? If I see him sucking his finger, it makes me shed tears. Please, help me.

A: Hello dear, thanks for writing in. Being a first time mother can be overwhelming especially when we cannot fulfill all the dreams we had dreamed for our babies. I’m sorry you could not breastfeed your baby earlier. But all hope is not lost. Re-lactation (re-establishing the process of breastfeeding after it had been stopped) may not be the easiest process but can still happen.

First, you have to let go of all feelings of guilt. Breast milk is the best food for baby, but if you couldn’t breastfeed because you were ill, then there’s really nothing that could have been done. Trust me, you’re better off to your baby alive than incapacitated in any way! So, chin up 😀 Smile…

Now, you will need loads of support from your medical team (be that the nurses that provide support for lactation or the doctor who does same). This support can range from teaching you how to latch baby on properly to your doctor prescribing a medication that encourages milk production.

This process requires loads of patience. You have to put baby to the breast as often as possible (at least every 3 hours) or failing that, use a breast pump to extract as much milk as possible. Remember that the sucking process/nipple stimulation encourages milk let-down. Being relaxed and thinking about you and your baby in a nice cozy environment, breastfeeding and bonding may also help this process along.

You may want to assume the regular position you used to adopt when baby was breastfeeding and ensure that baby gets skin to skin time with you. It may be easy for baby to immediately go back to breastfeeding, other times, it may take a while. You need to know when the baby is sucking and indeed whether he’s getting enough. Your baby should make at least 6 wet nappies per day. If baby is not getting enough breast milk at the beginning of this process, you may have to supplement with formula. Use a cup and spoon to avoid nipple confusion.

Be sure that you are getting enough fluids yourself and eating nourishing foods.

For more on breastfeeding, please click on the links:
https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/13/daily-health-tips-can-my-breast-milk-get-sour-if-i-dont-express-it-and-my-baby-refuses-to-feed/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/12/daily-health-tips-im-a-breastfeeding-mother-who-just-developed-a-painful-lump-in-my-breast-could-it-be-cancer/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/09/01/daily-health-tips-breastfeeding-challenges/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/04/22/daily-health-tips-please-help-my-breasts-still-feel-engorged-though-i-stopped-breastfeeding-some-days-ago/

https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/05/27/daily-health-tips-what-should-i-do-after-having-my-baby-if-my-breast-milk-doesnt-come-in-immediately/

Have a great night y’all and an awesome week ahead 😀