Relactation: how to resume breastfeeding after weaning?

WHO and UNICEF recommend breastfeeding as exclusive food for newborns up to 6 months of age, as it provides babies with all the nutrients they need to grow and for their immune system to fully develop.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
14 March 2023 Tuesday 03:22
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Relactation: how to resume breastfeeding after weaning?

WHO and UNICEF recommend breastfeeding as exclusive food for newborns up to 6 months of age, as it provides babies with all the nutrients they need to grow and for their immune system to fully develop. They also advise that up to 2 years old they eat a combination of it with adequate and nutritious foods for their age. It has multiple benefits for the health of children and, in addition, it has advantages for the health of the mother.

However, there are situations in which a mother has to stop breastfeeding or take a break due to a wide variety of causes. In these cases, it is necessary to know that, if desired, it is possible to recover lactation. This is called relactation. Relactating is restoring breastfeeding after having interrupted it for a while (days, weeks or even months). Even non-pregnant women who have adopted a baby can breastfeed. In this case we would speak of induced or adoptive lactation.

The World Health Organization points out two fundamental factors that affect the success of relactation: a strong desire of the mother and an adequate stimulation of the nipple. They also add a third: a support network (family, friends, community and health personnel).

In the Breastfeeding Guide of the Department of Health and Consumption of the Government of Aragon, a series of steps are established to facilitate success in the process.

The WHO notes that the time required for milk production to begin varies from a few days to a few weeks, but it is difficult to predict. That is why they advise encouraging mothers to be patient and not have expectations about when they will be able to produce the necessary amount of milk. About half of relactating mothers are able to exclusively breastfeed their infants within a month.

When the relactation process begins, a very controlled monitoring of the baby's weight gain and urine and bowel movements must be carried out to ensure that it obtains the necessary amounts of milk.

The WHO concludes that relactation is possible and practical for almost any woman if adequately motivated and supported. Age, previous breastfeeding experience, and lactation interval are less important factors in achieving this.