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  • Can I breastfeed after a break?

  • Q: I'm booked in for an operation, and will be in hospital for about a week. I have been breastfeeding my 6-month-old daughter exclusively, but have started giving her a bottle too, so she is able to feed while we're apart. Will I be able to resume breastfeeding afterwards?

Midwife Nikki says: Well done for getting to six months fully breastfeeding! It's a good idea to introduce the bottle, but try using expressed milk instead of formula as this will help to maintain your present milk supply.

Start building up your supply of breastmilk and freeze it for while you are in hospital. You can do this by expressing in the morning when your breasts are fullest, as your baby is probably not waking as often for night feeds.

While you are in hospital, make sure you keep up your fluid intake and take a breast pump in with you, using it regularly to continue the stimulation of milk.

Depending on the medication you are on while in hospital, you may not be able to use this milk to feed your baby, but you will need to check with your doctor. Even so, while expressing milk in hospital, your breasts will still be stimulated which will make it easier to continue breastfeeding once you are home.

Drinking fennel tea can also help stimulate your milk supply. 


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  • K-Lou

  • thats great news, so pleased for you. xxx
  • Posted by firsttimer... 06 Jan 2009 01:19AM
  • what do i need?

  • what a great list, thanks a lot. xxx
  • Posted by firsttimer... 06 Jan 2009 01:14AM
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