YOU DID WHAT?!?
That’s typically the first reaction I hear when people find out I breast fed our daughter Z.
Apparently it is kind of weird to see a stark white woman sit down and start putting a brown baby to her breast : ) Also the idea of nursing a baby that did not physically come out of you is a concept few people even realize is possible. That is why adoptive breastfeeding is a topic I love encouraging other women in and I will try to share our journey without too much rambling. Here I will basically try to answer the ‘why’ and the ‘how’, as those are usually the questions that come up.
WHY?
Our oldest daughter, B, was born to us biologically and I ended up nursing her for 15 months. I believe the experience as a whole was really positive for both of us. It forced me to sit down, to focus on her, and it gave her wholesome (and free!) nutrition. She in return relied on me to meet her needs, which I believe is crucial for attachment.
All of these factors played a role when we began the process of adopting our second daughter. My greatest concern with adopting a new baby was attachment. I remembered how part of my initial bonding to B was feeling her grow inside of me. That feeling only grew when I began to nurse her after she was born. I was concerned about how attachment with our new baby would go since I wouldn’t be able to do either of those things –or so I thought. Of course I would not be able to feel our daughter grow inside of me, but I got connected with another woman from our adoption agency who breastfed both of her adopted children successfully. She was such a wealth of information and support. Now for the fun stuff…
HOW?
1. I prayed and prayed that the Lord would allow my body to do this.
2. Get an electric pump. This is crucial!! A manual pump will not provide a strong enough suction for adequate stimulation for milk production. They can be expensive, but check with your local Le Leche League. Sometimes they rent them out or let you borrow them for free. I ended up borrowing a friend’s pump and just paying for new suction cups and tubing.
3. Get some lanolin because dry pumping before you make any milk is not pleasant.
4. The more time you have before your baby is due to arrive, the better. The technical process of trying to start making milk is called induced lactation. There is actually something called the Lactation Induction Protocol that can give you protocols based on how long you have before the baby is born.
And don’t worry- if your baby is born tomorrow or even already here there is a process called the accelerated protocol for just such an occasion. Truly, anyone can attempt this.
5. I took the herbs Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle and a medication called Domperidone. The first two can be found at stores like Sprouts and Whole Foods. Domperidone is a drug whose side effect is increase prolactin (hormone that promotes milk supply). It can be prescribed by your MD but I found it cheaper at an online pharmacy.
6. I pumped 8-12 times a day for 20-30 minutes. This included pumping in the middle of the night. I read that prolactin levels are highest between 2 and 4 am so pumping at this time encouraged the most milk production. It was not easy, but it helped prepare me for newborn life and those middle of the night feedings!
7. I started pumping about 6 weeks before Z was born. I actually thought I had more time but she came about 5 weeks earlier than we had expected. When we got the call she was here, I was producing drops of milk. I think what helped my production the most was when she actually started nursing at my breast. That stimulation helped twice as much as a pump did.
8. Unless you are following the Induction Protocol that includes using birth control pills, the milk you make from inducing is not like mature milk that comes in right after you give birth. The fat content usually isn't high enough for a newborn and will probably need to be supplemented. Every woman’s milk will be different so please make sure your pediatrician knows you are breastfeeding so they can monitor your baby’s weight appropriately. You can also still nurse while giving formula. I used the Supplemental Nursing System by Medela. You can use one of these even if you never make a drop of milk. Your baby will still get the benefit of recognizing that you are the one that provides his/her needs plus will get that all important skin to skin time.
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About Lindy:
Hi everyone! I am a 20 something stay at home mommy to two sweet girls. Our 4 year old came to us biologically and our 1 year old came to us the day she was born through the miracle of adoption. I love adoption and love using my crafting hobby to help support our many friends who are adopting. You can find my ETSY site here.
