One approach, in a case where milk supply has already waned, and a mother is stressed and also has other little ones to care for, is to encourage the mother to start nursing on a regular basis, using a supplementer as needed, and pretty much avoid bottle feeding, and not pump unless baby is unwilling or unable to spend much time nursing.  I feel that, in many cases, the most important thing to be established is a nursing relationship.  Once this is done and the baby is at the breast on a regular basis, several important things are being accomplished.  Baby is learning to suckle the breast, the breasts are getting stimulated, and mother and baby are learning to enjoy the process, which makes them much more to stick with it.  In the case of someone who has given birth only a month ago, milk supply will usually build quite quickly, and the supplementer only be needed for a period of weeks, but Mom should always be reminded that, even while she is using the supplementer, her baby is benefiting greatly from the experience of nursing, and from whatever amount of milk is coming from the breast.   

Keeping things positive is important, in general, but especially when there have been negative experiences and a mom tends to get stressed out easily.  

Darillyn

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