Relactation and induced lactation

In this video you will learn about the processes of Relactation and induced lactation.

Relactation consists in resuming the breastfeeding of a baby which had been stopped for up to 6 months before

For a period longer than 6 months, we call it 'induced lactation.'

Triggering the milk production for a woman who has never before been pregnant is also called Induced lactation

Unbelievable but true: A woman can breastfeed a baby she has adopted!

The success rates are very high in developing countries where this is a common practice

To understand how this is possible, you need to know two things.

The more mecanical stimuli the breast receives, the more the mammary gland will develop.

The more often milk is expressed, the more milk it will produce.

In practice: Start with a gentle massage of the breast and areola.

Then stimulate your breasts by expressing milk manually in order to develop the mammary gland

do it 8 to 14 times a day, making sure to do 1 stimulation session at night

Breast stimulation can also be done with the help of a breast pump.

The amount of time necessary to produce enough miilk varies from a few days to a couple of weeks.

The quantity of milk produced varies from one woman to another.

Always offer the breast before each nursing session even if the baby does not take it yet.

It is important to familiarize the baby to breastfeeding.

Make as much skin contact as possible with the baby: it will promote milk production.

While the baby cannot breastfeed efficiently, and certainly while you don't have enough milk to feed it, you will have to give the baby a milk supplement.

Avoid giving such supplements with a bottle because you might confuse the baby in it's learning of the breastfeeding sucking motion

Instead, give the baby the supplements with a cup, a syringe or a supplemental nursing system,which has the advantage of training the baby to make the same mouth movements as when breastfeeding.

After some time, it can be a few weeks to a couple of months, you will be able to progressively reduce the quantity of supplement given to the baby.

Begin the transition when you notice the baby is drinking efficiently and in sufficient quantities.