Re-Establishment of Milk Secretion After Complete Cessation in a Relactation Program and the Differences in Mother–Infant Attachment and Maternal Roles.

This article focuses on evaluating the effects of a relactation support program on milk secretion, mother–infant attachment, and maternal functioning among mothers who had completely ceased breastfeeding. Conducted with 34 mothers of 1–4-month-old infants in Türkiye, the program involved eight home visits and seven telephone support sessions over 15 days, teaching techniques such as nipple stimulation, skin-to-skin contact, and finger feeding. Results showed that 64.7% of participants resumed milk secretion, with earlier cessation of breastfeeding linked to higher relactation success; additionally, maternal attachment and maternal functioning, measured by the Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) and Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF), significantly improved. The study suggests that relactation is achievable with professional support and has benefits beyond milk production, including enhanced maternal roles and bonding, though its findings are limited by a small sample size and single-researcher data collection.