When my nerve got trapped in my back I had to take some drugs that meant I had to stop breastfeeding. Although I really wanted to feed BB until he decided to stop, the pain was so huge that I changed my plan. I quickly rationalised that 15 months was a good time to have been breastfed for and took the pills on offer (Diazepam and Codeine).
He was a bit upset about it at first, but actually started drinking milk form a cup without too much bother. Until perhaps Tuesday or wednesday this week, when he woke at around midnight insisting he breastfed. I did some googling. I hadn't taken the diazepam since Saturday, and the codeine was down from 60mg every 4 hours to 8 mg a couple of times a day. All the info that I could find said that this would be ok, so I went ahead and let him try.
It immediately soothed him and he suckled for about 20 mins and then slept. He didn't bother asking for it again, so I assumed that his hard work had been unfruitful, and it was just the action of sucking that he needed.
This morning he would not eat breakfast and keep telling me (in his way) that he wanted booby. I reminded him that there wasn't any booby any more, and continued to try and get him to eat or drink milk from a cup. But he wasn't having it at all.
Now there is a couple of schools of thought in terms of the 'advice' I have been given on this. Several people, including my mum, say not to go back to feeding now that I have come this far and he is just getting used to the idea. Then there are those that say continue until he decides no. I sit in the second camp, but I had stopped, and it was going OK, and although I had thought about it, I hadn't really made any effort to get the supply back.
When it came to it though, on both of these occasions, I went with my instincts. I haven't taken any codeine at all since Thursday, so there are no worries at all now. I thought that if I let him he would have a go, find that there was nothing there, and then it would be over.
But no, he seems to have found some milk. There was some there right from that very first feed this morning. He has fed several times today and it would certainly seem that we are back on.
I wonder about what he knows. Just before I miscarried he was off feeding - then a couple of days after, like today, he grazed all day long. Perhaps he knows all the drugs are out of my system now.
Has any body else had this experience? It was almost 2 weeks of no feeding. I am amazed. But happy of course!
As a rule of thumb - the longer you've been lactating the easier it is to re-lactate. Really pleased for you both.
ReplyDeleteOh yay! This is great news!
ReplyDeleteSo happy for you!
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