Having a baby for the first time can be an exhausting process for the mother. Sometimes. due to stress. there can be many problems regarding breastfeeding; there are times when mothers have lactation issues when the baby is born. Due to this reason or some other. they are diverted towards bottle-feeding other than breastfeeding. If you are one of those mothers and you now want your baby to cherish breastfeeding not to worry. We will tell you all about when it is too late to start breastfeeding. So you plan accordingly.
How to start breastfeeding after bottle feeding?
1. Your baby is probably already attached to the bottle; it would be hard but not impossible. The very first thing you would need to do is. Pump your breast and increase your milk supply. In most cases. the milk stops secreting out of the breast if the baby is not getting fed from it.
2. Develop a skin-to-skin connection with your baby.
3. Make your bottle feel more like your breast. and your breast feel more like a bottle with various nipples.
4. Try to get your baby latched when he or she is sleepy; it works most of the time.
5. Avoid using pacifiers and feeding everything via a bottle.
6. Slow and steady steps with patience will get you there.
How long does it take to rebuild the breast milk supply?
I have watched mothers stressed out about how will they rebuild their breast milk supply and how long will it take to get the proper flow? Not to worry. rebuilding your breast milk supply might be tricky. but it’s not that hard.
It won’t take you from three days to a week to reach your proper flow with the right tips and tricks. Don’t break a sweat. ill tell you what to do.
Some tips to re-lactate successfully :
I have gathered out some most effective tips for our super mothers to supply milk and re-lactate efficiently.
Tips 1 : Our bodies are made in the most amazing ways if you want to have healthy milk production. You have to try to latch your baby onto your breast; for example. when he or she is sleeping. the sucking effect from the baby triggers a hormone in your breast letting the milk come down to your breast and the baby efficiently.
Tips 2 : Try to get your baby to latch on to both of your breasts. don’t designate one side of your breast to breastfeed. Allowing the stimulation on both sides will encourage a good flow.
Tips 3 : One of the best and most effective tips to increase your breast milk supply is to let your baby be the boss of your breast. This means let the baby whenever it’s hungry and let it stop when the baby feels like its tummy is full. If it wants more. you will be informed by the crying. don’t monitor the clock when feeding; let the hormones do all the work.
Tips 4 : Sleeping facing down feels great but did you know that any pressure on your chest can lower your milk supply further? Yes. correct your sleeping posture and try to put no pressure on your chest or breast.
Tips 5 : Take in good and nutritious foods and ample water supply. a dehydrated. stressed. and worked-up mom goes through several hormonal changes. which is not healthy for the mom or the milk supply.
Tips 6 : Stimulate your breast; the easiest way to stimulate your breast is by a hand-stimulating technique. Avoid anything responsible for decreasing your breast supply further such as alcohol. smoking. etc.
Some faster and easier ways.
Alongside all the tips mentioned above. you can also go for a perfect hospital-grade breast pump. Like this breast pump will help you in stimulating your breasts; it will trigger your lactation hormones too. Your flow will eventually increase faster with a good breast pump.
Not just that. more appliances help with breast milk production. such as lactation helping massagers.
Apart from these electronics. you can consult your doctor and go for a lactation supplement responsible for triggering your lactation hormones. There are many supplements available on the market and among them, this breastfeeding Supplement with Fenugreek helping your flow increase.
Related: 9 Best Breastfeeding Rocker and Glider[Nursing Chair] Review
Foods that increase milk supply :
Certain consumables such as alcohol or smoking can cause your milk supply to decrease; just like that various nutritious foods trigger your breast milk supply. such as.
Oats. You can consume oats as a hearty oatmeal bowl or have oat milk instead. It’s loaded with iron and nutrients. and it’s said to increase your breast milk supply.
Fennel Seeds. They have compounds that resemble the hormone estrogen. which triggers a great flow.
Meats and Poultry. Again. they are loaded with iron.
You can have Barley; it’s rich in beta-glucan and is proven to help with breastfeeding issues.
Garlic. It has galactagogue and also a great flavor. Make sure to add a good amount in your next meals to increase your breast milk flow.
Raw Almonds and Other Nuts. They are filled with nutrients such as calcium. It will enhance the taste of your breast milk. which will attract the baby. but it will also improve production.
Apricots are great for increasing lactating hormone levels. Don’t miss out on them if you are looking to increase your breast milk flow.
In short. if you want to increase the flow of your breast milk. make sure that you have ample nutrients along with some hormone-triggering foods.
When is it too late to start breastfeeding?
There are a cycle and procedure to everything; the same goes for the human body. Yes. there can be a time when it’s too late to start breastfeeding.
It depends on your lactation flow and your baby’s age. The baby is observed and said to latch on and adapt to the breast more efficiently when six months and lower. If your baby is six months above and you cant achieve the flow with any means, then maybe it’s time you focus on how to fulfill your baby’s nutrient need by other means.
Recommended reading: When is it Too Late to Wear a Belly Wrap?
Final thoughts :
Don’t worry if it’s too late to breastfeed; several babies grow up healthy. and the same as any other breastfeed baby would grow up as. Focus on yourself. your healing and. your baby’s nutrient intake. Rest will be fine.