At 6 weeks old, after much reluctance, we decided to 'try' formula with my son. We were having major issues with spitting up and fussiness and didn't know what else to do, all this even after acid reflux medication was prescribed.

Now, at almost 7 months old, I have decided I would really like to start breastfeeding again or at the very least, pumping for him. I have been pumping for almost 3 weeks 4-5 times a day (TRYING to do it every 2 hours) and taking Fenugreek 4 capsules 3 times a day. I am not producing anything in one breast and the other will sometimes have a tiny amount, maybe a drop, of thick, sticky white stuff :o)

I was on ortho tri-cyclen prior to beginning this journey but stopped because I was under the impression that it would reduce the chance of lactating. Now, after ready articles on this site, it seems to be the opposite.

I'm wondering if you would advice me to start taking my BC again and start from scratch with a protocol or would I be better off continuing pumping and starting Dom?

Aprile we only take the BC pill to mimic a pregnancy along with the dom then it is stopped and pumping or nursing begins to stimulate milk. Taking it while nursing will reduce production. I think adding Dom would be beneficial to you. Let's see what Lenore has to say.

Since it's been so long since my pregnancy and breastfeeding, would it be a good idea to start over by starting to take the pill again? Considering I'm neither nursing nor lactating at all... Or just continue with what I'm doing and add dom?

I've been going back and forth with the decision to start breastfeeding again for 4 months and now that I've decided to do it, I'm kind of in a hurry to start...well, excited. The sooner the better :o)

Hi Aprile,

Thank you for your post and for investigating relactation. Of course you can if you wish, it's just a matter of teasing out what steps to take.

You may not need anything, or you may need something but first we really need to see what's going on. If you don't mind I need a bit more history about the fussy bits. Can you tell me how often your baby was feeding during the first 6 weeks? Sometimes babies spit up because they are overfed and this can be mistaken for acid reflux. Did you have abundant milk?

You may or may not need hormonal help to relactate. First if you are willing, we would need a pumping trial with a good dual electric breastpump. If you can pump every 2-3 hours by day for the next few days and report back, we can see from there how to proceed. Domperidone can help in this situation as well. Are you located in the US or Canada? Domperidone is widely available in Canada. In the US there are several compounding pharmacies that will provide it with a prescription.

Waiting for your reply and I'll just mention I'm off to Ft. Myers for follow-up eye surgery tomorrow so may not be able to respond before tomorrow evening ok?

Best, Lenore

During his fussy periods, he was nursing every 1.5-2 hours and I had an abundant supply that came in about 5 days after he was born. I had to have a c-section because my gestational hypertension became preeclampsia but I was 38 weeks along so he was a healthy 8lbs 6oz. I believe I also had a fast letdown, as he would almost choke after a few minutes of nursing.

The Zantac didn't really help anything when we first put him on it. It helped his spitting up a little but because it wasn't working well, we were asked to 'try' formula. We tried Enfamil A.R. for about 1.5 weeks with things going well at first few days and then going right back to square one...fussiness, gas, spitting up... We then tried soy and everything got better and stayed that way, besides the colic. He's been on soy formula since. But that has caused constant constipation so now he's also on Enulose syrup for a laxative. Reason #409 why I would really like to get back to the breast! One less med he has to take!

I have been pumping now for 3+ weeks, Fenugreek for 2 weeks. I've been trying to pump every 2 hours but my son is still eating every 2 hours...he's not that interested in food and always wants his bottle...so I sometimes forget until it's too late. I'm using a Medela Advance double breast pump.

Thanks again so very much! And best wishes during your surgery!

Since posting, I've had some time to look into the Dom a little more and think about it...and I don't think we, as a family, can commit to the extra monthly expense at this time. If I was able to come up with the money for it now, I may not be able to do the same next month.

Do you have any other suggestions that don't include adding dom?

Did you look at www.clickremedy.com it is much more reasonable there. 100 tablets (10mg) for 9.50 The herbs are spendy too and the dom will give you better results.

As for what to do, I would get a supplemental nurser and try getting him to the breast with that. There is a transitioning to breast slowly protocol that will help I can email it to you. Getting him to nurse will stimulate your supply. Are you getting any milk in your pumping sessions now?

I will definately check out that site! That gives me hope :o)

No, I'm not getting anything yet. Some 'spotting' I guess you could call it, sometimes from the right breast but nothing from the left.

I have been trying to introduce the breast to him again...just kind of putting it out there to see what he does. He did go for it but since I don't have anything...he just looked at me confused. It was cute though! It's a start. I'm just getting nervous now since he's gotten his first tooth and another is in the process of breaking through!

So if he will latch on you could nurse him with the lact-aid or another supplementer and he would be getting milk from it and stimulating you. Here is a website. www.lact-aid.com

Oh and you don't need to worry about teeth lots of babies nurse well into toddlerhood and have full mouths of teeth with no issues.

He isn't actually latching on. EVERYTHING goes in his mouth right now and I'm thinking the breast was just another 'toy' to him. It's a step in the right direction, though, considering a week ago, he would turn his head away like I was trying to suffocate him or something!!

About that site, clickremedy.com, have you ever used that site? Do you know where they're shipping from...I can't tell.

I haven't but a few moms here have. Maybe someone else will chime in.

I think I found out where they are located...Thailand. If no one has used clickremedy has anyone ordered from Thailand??

I have ordered once from clickremedy. It took a week longer to receive than inhouseparmacy.com. But for me what was creepy was that the pills themselves had no markings on them. But the package they came in was labeled. In addition, the two packages that were shipped to me to my Po Box where kept in the safe at the post office and had to be signed off on by me (weird?). Whereas when I ordered from Inhouse the package was left in my box. The return address on the packages where from a gift shop in Thailand. I am going to be ordering from inhouse again.

I have order motilium from thailand before just not clickremedy.

That's too weird! Too bad I already placed my order. Hope for the best!

But I'm really in a hurry now to get this started...the constipation in the baby has gone on so long, he's developing an anal fissure...a tear of the anus that doesn't want to heal!! My husband has had serious issues with his, enough to be out of work for 3 days last summer, and I don't want my lil guy going through the same thing.

I have to get him off the formula! Any suggestions? We don't have a lot of money.

Aprile my daughter had issues with the soy formula it made her constipated bad. We switched to Good Start and it helped a lot, the proteins in it are broke down and help baby to digest it. Once you get some breast milk in him daily he will start to do so much better.

I'm still waiting on my Dom and still pumping with no luck. Do you have any suggestions to get my son back on the breast? Maybe that can help out some and get things started for when I do finally get on the meds.

April I had a huge post to you and lost it. I would still suggest the lact-aid. Babies will go where the milk is so he needs to be getting something when he does latch on. I also would read the other info here on this site. Click the breastfeeding tab at the top of the page and read up on that info. Especially the breastfeeding your adopted baby info http://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/lact_aid.html It will help you with feeding with a lactation device and there is a video link. Dr. Newman also talks about making your own lactation device in that topic.
Look in the "Issues and Concerns" section too there is lots of good info there. Keep asking questions here and we will all try to help as much as we can. Hang in there it is so worth the rewards.

I received the dom today. I'm about to do some of my own investigating on the site but I was wondering what I should do now. How much dom should I be taking? I seem to remember 30mg from something...and then do I also continue to pump? Or do I stop while I'm waiting for the dom to kick in and then restart or just keep doing what I'm doing?

Thank you so much for all your help! I will be checking into the lact-aid.

April please refresh me on all you are currently doing.

I stopped taking the fenugreek about a week ago now so that leaves pumping every 3 hours...about 4-5 times a day, depending. I started the dom today, 30 mg 3x daily.

Should I continue the pumping or should I wait, then restart pumping?

I would keep pumping. Are you having any problems with the Dom? Usually you need to build up to the full dose.
Keep us posted

No problems with the Dom...nothing I can blame on the Dom anyways...no new grips.

I'll continue to pump and hopefully something will happen soon!

The Dom has worked and I'm getting about a tablespoon of milk now during pumping. I would like to begin the task of getting my son back on the breast but I'm having no luck with the things I've tried. I've tried offering him the breast and even placing it in his mouth and trying to 'shot' some milk in his mouth so he knows...but nothing. He turns away and/or gets mad/upset.

Suggestions please!!!

Did I send you the transitioning to breast slowly document? If not give me your email and I will send that protocol to you.
Try offering the breast when he is getting sleepy and cuddling instead of when he is hungry. Skin to skin contact is really good so have him in just a diaper and you without a shirt and snuggle, some babies will latch on the breast then. If he has a pacifier I would try to minimize usage of that and offer the breast as comfort instead.