I want to thank everyone on Lactnet who gave suggestions for the mother
who's baby rejected the breast after 3 weeks off the breast secondary to
misguided medical advice when mom was ill.  I just received an e-mail from
her and wanted to pass it on:

"Dear DeDe, thank you so much for sending the responses from lacnet!  I just
plugged in my computer today after a month of no email contact.  (I had just
moved two days before I got sick and so my computer has not been set up for
quite a while).  All the suggestions people sent sound great.  There are
some things that I have always done; sleeping together, carrying him much of
the day, lots of cuddling.  I will have to try putting him to bed minus the
pajamas to get that skin-to skin contact.  I am a little afraid that he will
be cold though, because he always manages to wiggle out from under the
covers.

"I have been pumping about five times a day, and just cannot seem to get to
it more often.  My milk supply is pretty scant right now.  I am happy to get
two ounces at a session.  I am still taking the herbs.  I also use warm
compresses about half the times I pump.  I feel like let down is the
problem.  I don't think I have been relaxed enough, because I feel such
anxiety about producing more milk.  Sometimes I feel like it is going to go
well and the milk comes out fast, but only for a short time, and then it is
just drip, drip, drip.

"I have tried to get Zoe to latch on a few times when he has been sleeping.
It is incredible, but even in his sleep he seems to be aware of what is
going on, and he is not going for it.  He just bites my nipple a couple of
times and then refuses to open his mouth.  He is such an oral baby, just
everything goes into his mouth.  And though I don't like it, he just loves
his pacifier.  Sometimes at night he will find it in the bed and stick it in
his mouth.  I guess I should probably just get rid of the thing for the time
being, but he really finds it soothing at night.  I don't think he would be
to thrilled if I offered him my breast as a substitute.

"I never thought I would be saying these things.  We had such a perfect
breastfeeding relationship for the first six months of his life.  No
problems.  I just thought we would go on till I decided to stop.  Just goes
to show that life will never be exactly what you expected.  I do not want to
give up on the breastfeeding yet.  I am going to try some of the new
suggestions offered on lacnet.  I will keep you posted either way it goes.
Thanks so much for your help.  Feel free to relay my current situation if
you want to.  Thanks again, Aubrey"

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  Mother sure seems willing to
keep trying.

DeDeVance RN, CLC
From Southern California where it was much too hot today (mid-upper 90s!!)