Relactation and Induced Lactation
Relactation
Relactation is the process of restarting the mother's milk supply after she has stopped nursing. Some mothers stop nursing due to the increased time demands of breast feeding and then opt for relactation because they miss the warm bond of the skin-to-skin contact with their babies. In some cases, the mother may need to temporarily stop breast feeding for medical reasons and then restart later. Others relactate because their babies find it difficult to adjust to the formula. Usually after you stop breastfeeding, your milk supply reduces or even dries up. Relactation is more effective when you decide to do so within two months after your last lactation. Relactation is a time-consuming process but at the end is quite rewarding for both mother and child.
Tips to Make Relactation Easier
- Get the encouragement of your family members and well-wishers.
- Try getting assistance from a lactation consultant.
- Do not expect milk to start from the day you try to relactate.
- Ensure that you have a good diet.
- You should avoid trying to relactate continuously and have a rest in between.
Breast pumps help the mother in relactation. But, the best source of help is your baby. Try getting her to suckle often at your breasts. How much and how often she suckles determines the quantity of breast milk and speed at which the breast milk starts flowing.
Relactation may not always be successful. There are chances that the breast milk does not resume flowing. The time taken to relactate also varies from mother to mother.
Induced Lactation
Induced lactation is primarily used by adoptive mothers who have never given birth or women who have previously had an abortion during the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy.
Stimulating Induced Lactation
Induced lactation can be done using a mechanical simulation such as breast massage and nipple manipulation with a breast pump. In this case, milk production may start within one to four weeks of trying. As in relactation, your baby can help you to induce lactation. Place her on your breasts and allow her to suckle you.
You can also get yourself treated using hormonal therapy. Estrogen is pumped into the body to simulate the high estrogen state of pregnancy. It is then abruptly released from the body to replicate the post-delivery hormonal changes. Drugs containing prolactin are then injected into the body and sucking stimulation (with a pump or by baby) is begun at this point. Although hormonal therapy is safe in most cases, you may want to consult your doctor regarding this treatment beforehand.
Most women opting for relactation and induced lactation use supplemental feeding systems to nourish their babies till the breast milk supply sets in properly. Once the breast milk starts flowing, you can start decreasing the quantity of supplementation. During both relactation and induced lactation, you must carefully monitor your baby's weight gain and approach your pediatrician at once in case of any weight loss concerns.
