Hello! I’m looking for encouragement and support from our amazing community. I started my relactation journey at 12 weeks postpartum. This community has been one of my motivating factors for trying again, so I hope you can cheer me on!
You can ready my story here:
Please help me succeed by sending love and positive thoughts my way! Also any of your experiences, mantras, and tips.
I’ll be posting every week in /breastfeedingsupport. Let’s do this together! Love you all!!
——
Progress!
Weekly Averages (in Total Daily Output)
Week 1 = 3 ml,
Week 2 = 8 ml (+5 ml / 166% increase),
Week 3 = 16 ml (+8 ml / 200% increase),
Week 4 = 20 ml (+4 ml / 25% increase),
Week 5 = 24 ml (+4 ml / 20% increase),
Week 6 = 33 ml (+9 ml / 38% increase),
Week 7 = 29 ml (-4 ml / 12% decrease)
Week 7 update: Hello, it’s still me - still trying to relactate.
This past week, I’ve seen some changes. I’m consistently seeing sprays during most pumping sessions when I use breast compressions! It seems I’m emptying faster but I’m not sure the pumped volume has really increased. I’m going to do a better job next week about tracking per-pump volume to see if this is true.
Do the sprays mean my supply is ramping up? Or just that I’m simply more effective at using breast compressions during pumping sessions?
I finally had success with hand expression! I get drops (not sprays) out of my nipples. I need to practice more and express after my pump sessions, but the thought of adding more time to my routine is daunting. :-/
Speaking of time - I’ve been using the SNS less lately because it either explodes, clogs, my baby tugs at it, or it takes a while to clean. I’m tired of being soaked in formula and fiddling with the tubing during feeds. Ugh, I just need something easy at this point!!
Despite these changes, I’ve seen a decrease in my average daily output. Maybe my morning nursing is affecting this? (I pump afterwards and get about half of what I “should.”)
Does anyone know if there’s a ceiling when it comes to relactation? As in, I could never expect to see more milk output than I had during the immediate postpartum period? Is there some sort of limit when it comes to building glandular tissue? Are increased linear or is there a point where it becomes exponential? I guess it’s demotivating to see a decrease in my pump output this week. I know it’s not all about “the numbers” but am also interested to know more about this so I can manage my goals and expectations.
I continue on another week!
——
Week 1 progress:
Week 2 progress:
Week 3 progress:
Week 4 progress:
Week 5 progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/breastfeed...6a/support_needed_relactation_journey_week_5/
Week 6 progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/breastfeed...j5/support_needed_relactation_journey_week_6/
——
Routine
I’m aiming for 8x daily pump sessions trying to stick to 2-3 hours between pumping sessions. I don’t have a set schedule during the day, but always stick to pumping sessions at 8 pm, 10 pm, 12 am (power pump), and 2:30 am. I pump 30 minutes during each session, and incorporate massage and hands on pumping as much as possible. I try to include a power pump during the day, depending on when I can find 50 minutes to make it happen. I’m using a Spectra S1 pump with Nuliie flange inserts, with the Momcozy hands free pumping bra. I clean my breasts after pump sessions with a baby wipe.
I use the Lact-Aid SNS at least once a day during daytime feedings. I use 3M first aid tape to keep the tube in place.
I’m supplementing with Motherlove Goat’s Rue tincture (6 ml daily), Mary Ruth’s Milk Thistle Seed tincture (0.5 ml daily), and Solgar brewers yeast (3,000 mg daily). Also taking my regular daily routine of vitamins: daily prenatal vitamin, iron supplement, Vitamin B12, omega-3s, and Sunflower Lecithin.
I’m trying to keep up my hydration and calories. I eat Purely Elizabeth Superfood oatmeal every morning for breakfast - it has oatmeal, flax, chia, and almonds (all supposedly supportive breastfeeding foods).
I’m using Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter to keep the nips happy.
And letting my daughter nurse as much as she’d like.
You can ready my story here:
Please help me succeed by sending love and positive thoughts my way! Also any of your experiences, mantras, and tips.
I’ll be posting every week in /breastfeedingsupport. Let’s do this together! Love you all!!
——
Progress!
Weekly Averages (in Total Daily Output)
Week 1 = 3 ml,
Week 2 = 8 ml (+5 ml / 166% increase),
Week 3 = 16 ml (+8 ml / 200% increase),
Week 4 = 20 ml (+4 ml / 25% increase),
Week 5 = 24 ml (+4 ml / 20% increase),
Week 6 = 33 ml (+9 ml / 38% increase),
Week 7 = 29 ml (-4 ml / 12% decrease)
Week 7 update: Hello, it’s still me - still trying to relactate.
This past week, I’ve seen some changes. I’m consistently seeing sprays during most pumping sessions when I use breast compressions! It seems I’m emptying faster but I’m not sure the pumped volume has really increased. I’m going to do a better job next week about tracking per-pump volume to see if this is true.Do the sprays mean my supply is ramping up? Or just that I’m simply more effective at using breast compressions during pumping sessions?
I finally had success with hand expression!
I get drops (not sprays) out of my nipples. I need to practice more and express after my pump sessions, but the thought of adding more time to my routine is daunting. :-/Speaking of time - I’ve been using the SNS less lately because it either explodes, clogs, my baby tugs at it, or it takes a while to clean. I’m tired of being soaked in formula and fiddling with the tubing during feeds. Ugh, I just need something easy at this point!!
Despite these changes, I’ve seen a decrease in my average daily output. Maybe my morning nursing is affecting this? (I pump afterwards and get about half of what I “should.”)
Does anyone know if there’s a ceiling when it comes to relactation? As in, I could never expect to see more milk output than I had during the immediate postpartum period? Is there some sort of limit when it comes to building glandular tissue? Are increased linear or is there a point where it becomes exponential? I guess it’s demotivating to see a decrease in my pump output this week. I know it’s not all about “the numbers” but am also interested to know more about this so I can manage my goals and expectations.
I continue on another week!
——
Week 1 progress:
Week 2 progress:
Week 3 progress:
Week 4 progress:
Week 5 progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/breastfeed...6a/support_needed_relactation_journey_week_5/
Week 6 progress: https://www.reddit.com/r/breastfeed...j5/support_needed_relactation_journey_week_6/
——
Routine
I’m aiming for 8x daily pump sessions trying to stick to 2-3 hours between pumping sessions. I don’t have a set schedule during the day, but always stick to pumping sessions at 8 pm, 10 pm, 12 am (power pump), and 2:30 am. I pump 30 minutes during each session, and incorporate massage and hands on pumping as much as possible. I try to include a power pump during the day, depending on when I can find 50 minutes to make it happen. I’m using a Spectra S1 pump with Nuliie flange inserts, with the Momcozy hands free pumping bra. I clean my breasts after pump sessions with a baby wipe.
I use the Lact-Aid SNS at least once a day during daytime feedings. I use 3M first aid tape to keep the tube in place.
I’m supplementing with Motherlove Goat’s Rue tincture (6 ml daily), Mary Ruth’s Milk Thistle Seed tincture (0.5 ml daily), and Solgar brewers yeast (3,000 mg daily). Also taking my regular daily routine of vitamins: daily prenatal vitamin, iron supplement, Vitamin B12, omega-3s, and Sunflower Lecithin.
I’m trying to keep up my hydration and calories. I eat Purely Elizabeth Superfood oatmeal every morning for breakfast - it has oatmeal, flax, chia, and almonds (all supposedly supportive breastfeeding foods).
I’m using Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter to keep the nips happy.
And letting my daughter nurse as much as she’d like.