Can a Woman Breastfeed Without Having a Baby

Yes, you tin can breastfeed a baby to whom yous did not give nascency. In fact, breastfeeding an adopted babe is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Information technology is even possible to breastfeed if you accept never been pregnant or have reached menopause. Breastfeeding an adopted baby is unlike than breastfeeding a baby after beingness meaning, just it can exist achieved through the process of induced lactation.

In that location are several different methods used to induce lactation when yous take not been pregnant. It may as well be possible to breastfeed your adopted baby with no preparation at all. However, if you accept advance notice that yous will accept a new baby joining your family, yous may wish to explore methods that stimulate milk production before baby arrives. The same methods can be used by traditional adoptive mothers, mothers whose babies were born to surrogates, and even the female partners of birth mothers.

Before learning almost the process involved in breastfeeding an adopted baby, consider why you lot desire to exercise it in the first place. Breastfeeding an adopted babe takes a lot of time and endeavour, just tin exist very rewarding. If your wish is to produce plenty milk to exclusively breastfeed your babe, then you may demand to suit your expectations. Establishing a milk supply takes time and yous may need to provide supplemental milk for an extended period of time. Adoptive mothers can brand enough milk for their babies. For some mothers information technology may be in early infancy, and for others it tin can be after their babies are well on solids, or even afterwards 1 year. Providing all of the milk your baby needs may non happen right abroad, but eventually you tin wait to get there. While providing mother'south milk may be the primary goal for many women in this situation, the qualities of the milk itself are not the only reasons to breastfeed an adopted baby.

How much milk a mother can produce through induced lactation varies from woman to woman and even babe to babe. There is no way to know ahead of time how much milk you will be able to provide for your babe, especially when you first begin expressing milk. It is important to keep in mind that even small amounts of your milk, tailor-fabricated for your infant, volition be of do good. Try to go on your focus on the breastfeeding relationship and non just the milk.

The physical connexion of breastfeeding benefits both mother and child. ALL adoptions involve a loss for the kid. Even a newborn infant who is placed right into the loving arms of his adoptive parents is being separated from the only mother he knows:

Adoption universally involves loss. Babies recognize their mothers at birth and at delivery healthy babies placed on the abdomen of their mother volition crawl upward onto her chest and, locating the nipple via its familiar olfactory property, will attach to her breast and suckle. Newborn infants desire to remain with their female parent and if removed from skin-to-skin contact with her volition give a specific "separation distress cry/telephone call" every bit an appeal for reunion. Maternal separation is stressful for infants, and all adopted children have experienced the loss of their birth mother (Gribble, 2006).

Breastfeeding places you and your baby in skin-to-skin contact, which is important both to your infant's development and the attachments between you and your babe. Some of the benefits of peel-to-pare contact for your baby are better organization of reflexes, stable temperature, and regulated heart rate. Some of the benefits for you include increased milk product, easier breastfeeding, and ameliorate oxytocin release (Moore, Anderson & Bergman 2009).

Inquiry has shown breastfeeding to have positive psychological effects for mothers as well. One written report compared mothers' moods when they alternately breastfed and bottle-fed mother'south milk to their babies. The researchers found a correlation betwixt breastfeeding and a positive mood immediately afterwards breastfeeding, but the same event was non apparent for bottle-feeding. The researchers suggested that the higher levels of the hormone oxytocin released by breastfeeding may take contributed to the positive mood (Mezzacappa and Katkin 2002). Bonding is a crucial aspect of adoption, and the hormones released during breastfeeding can facilitate that process.

Inducing lactation before your baby arrives

When studying the various methods for inducing lactation, keep in mind that it is equally important to learn as much as you can about how the trunk is stimulated to make milk by the removal of milk from the breasts. Knowing the natural process of lactation can help you equally you work to increment your milk production.

To set up you tin can stimulate your breasts by hand or by pump for several weeks or months before your baby arrives. Paw expression requires no equipment and can be used to stimulate milk production.

If you utilise a chest pump it is recommended that yous apply the highest quality pump available to you lot when inducing lactation. The first choice would be a rental-grade pump, which you can find in your local expanse by contacting your birthing facility and request what rental pumps are bachelor near you and where. These pumps are often available for rent through hospitals, medical supply stores, WIC, private-practice lactation consultants, online vendors, and even some popular babe stores.

Whether you are using a pump, hand expression , or both, this method is most effective when done equally many times a day as a infant would exist breastfeeding, at to the lowest degree eight to ten times a day. Combining hand expression and breast massage with pumping has been shown to increase milk production more rapidly (Morton, Hall & Wong, 2009). Many women begin to notice breast changes in the first half dozen weeks of expression. Mothers may notice breasts that feel larger and firmer, chest tenderness, protruding nipples, and drops of milk.

Another strategy, which can exist used in combination with others, requires you to take hormones and/or galactagogues daily to prepare your torso for lactation (West, Marasco, 2009). A galactagogue is an herb or prescription medication that increases milk production, likely by increasing prolactin (the "milk making" hormone) levels in the blood. 1 method is chosen the Goldfarb-Newman Protocol . It involves first taking birth control pills to simulate pregnancy hormone changes and and so both expressing and taking medication that increases hormonal levels. Herbal remedies such every bit fenugreek are available over the counter.  You should discuss prescription medications  and over the counter galactagogues with your health care provider. Variations in treatment may be appropriate according to the needs of an individual woman.

If you cull to apply herbal or prescription galactagogues or hormones to facilitate lactation, it is of import that y'all work with your wellness intendance provider. All of these substances have potential side furnishings and may be contraindicated for persons with certain medical conditions. Your wellness care provider can assist you lot weigh any risks and benefits and decide what will work best in your state of affairs. If you lot have questions almost the safety of medications and herbs while breastfeeding or inducing lactation, contact the InfantRisk Center . The InfantRisk Center is dedicated to providing up-to-date, evidence-based information on the utilize of medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Inducing lactation afterward your baby arrives

If you do not prepare before your baby arrives, you can still begin breastfeeding and expressing milk right away. Yous tin too hash out the employ of a galactagogue with your health care provider.

Some moms employ an at-breast supplementer so that their babies can receive supplemental milk through a small tube at the breast. There are two primary brands available: the Lact-Aid Nursing Trainer and the Medela Supplemental Nursing Arrangement (SNS). Both products work by allowing your baby to get supplemental milk while breastfeeding, but at that place are some differences in how they work. The SNS allows milk to flow by gravity, and comes with a diversity of sizes of tubing for faster and slower flow. The Lact-Aid does not permit milk to menses unless baby is sucking. Information technology is worthwhile to do some research on the pros and cons of these products before investing in 1.

 A supplementer has dual benefits: the babe gets nourishment, while the mother'south breasts become the stimulation needed to begin producing milk.  In fact, some mothers do not use a bottle at all. They find that, if they can get the babe to the chest frequently using an at-chest supplementer and encourage comfort nursing between supplements, they practice not need to spend time expressing milk between feedings. Don't worry about offering your baby a breast with no milk. Continue in mind that babies savour comfort suckling and are oft offered pacifiers. At that place is no milk in them, either!

Bringing your babe to the breast

You may be surprised to learn that yous can breastfeed a baby or toddler of any age. When thinking about how to get your infant to accept the breast and learn to breastfeed, y'all need to consider the age and experience of your baby.

If your baby is being carried by a surrogate or in an open adoption where adoptive parents accept been matched with the nascence female parent before birth, you lot may exist able to be at the delivery of your infant and put your baby to the breast immediately. Babies are hardwired to breastfeed at nascency. If you are able to put your babe to the chest correct abroad then the procedures you will follow will be the same as if you lot had given nascency to your baby, like those described in Baby-Led Latch: How to awaken your baby'southward breastfeeding instincts .

Even if babe has only had bottles, he may all the same instinctively root, search for, and take the breast when placed pare-to-peel on his mother's bare chest. If your baby has a stiff preference for bottles, information technology is still possible to teach him to breastfeed.

When you are working to teach your baby to take your breast, it is of import to be patient and relax. The older your infant is, the more time it may take for him to be comfy being skin-to-skin with yous. A child who has experienced fail or corruption volition need time building trust and attachment before he will exist prepare to breastfeed (Gribble, 2006). In that location are many means to go to know your baby and become comfortable existence in the close physical contact required of breastfeeding:

• Spending lots of fourth dimension lying down with your baby pare-to-skin

• Taking baths together

• Frequently carrying or wearing your baby during the twenty-four hour period

• Sleeping well-nigh your baby

• Holding your baby while canteen feeding

• Sitting baby on your lap while giving solid foods

Maximizing milk product

Perhaps you have been preparing and inducing lactation for several months, or possibly y'all started when you met your baby. Either manner, the key to establishing breastfeeding with your baby is time together. Research shows that adoptive mothers in developing countries are more successful at producing more milk than mothers in the West. These mothers in may take higher milk production due to cultural differences that are conducive to breastfeeding such every bit frequent breastfeeding and remaining in close physical contact with their babies. Their cultures may be more than supportive of breastfeeding as well. Emulating the mothering styles of women in developing countries, and creating a support network for breastfeeding may help to maximize your milk production (Gribble, 2004).

The more than your breasts are stimulated, and the more milk you remove, the more milk your body will produce. Be patient; the start milk you may detect will exist a few drops, and the increase is very gradual. Nursing every bit much as possible is the best way to increase production and decrease the need for supplements.

• If at all possible, feed simply at the breast using an at-chest supplementer.

• Offer both breasts twice at every feeding, and utilize breast compressions to maximize the corporeality of milk removed.

• Encourage comfort nursing between feedings. Offering the breast without supplemental milk flowing provides more stimulation to your breasts and keeps the baby interested and comfy with nursing at a breast with less milk menses.

• If baby is unable or unwilling to nurse without the supplementer, consider expressing milk between feedings.

As you are able to produce more than milk, you can decrease the amount of supplemental milk your kid is receiving. Counting wet diapers and watching baby's weight-gain volition reassure you lot that your baby is getting enough. One technique for decreasing supplements that can piece of work well is to start past eliminating supplements in the forenoon, when milk catamenia is usually highest. Endeavour not supplementing after the showtime morning feeding. Each time your infant finishes nursing on one side, offer the other side. Keep offering the other breast until baby seems satisfied or falls comatose. Gradually delay the commencement supplement later and afterward. When your baby begins to swallow solid foods, allow the solids begin to replace supplemental milk, not time at the breast.

Finally, brand certain you have built a back up system. Consider contacting a Breastfeeding Counselor or International Board Certified Lactation Consultant to work with you lot. Read as much as you can most adoptive breastfeeding and induced lactation. The resources below will give you a place to start.

ADOPTIVE BREASTFEEDING STORIES

My Adoptive Breastfeeding Story

Breastfeeding My Adopted Child

Nosotros Are Breastfeeding

My Adoptive Breastfeeding Journey

Becoming Nana

ADDITIONAL Resources

Books

Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby and Relactation, by Elizabeth Hormann.

The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More than Milk, past Diana West and Lisa Marasco.

Websites and online manufactures

Asklenore.com

Dr. Jack Newman: Breastfeeding your Adopted Babe or Baby Born past Surrogate

Lowmilksupply.org

Breastfeeding Outside the Box Podcasts

REFERENCES

Buckley, K. & Charles, G. (2006) Benefits and challenges of transitioning preterm infants to at-chest feedings . International Breastfeeding Journal 1:13

Gribble, Chiliad. (2004) The influence of context on the success of adoptive breastfeeding: Developing countries and the west. Breastfeeding Review; 5-13.

Gribble, K. (2006) Mental health, zipper and breastfeeding: implications for adopted children and their mothers . International Breastfeeding Journal ane:5.

Horman, Due east. (2006) Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby and Relactation. Schaumburg, IL: La Leche League International.

Induced Lactation and the Newman-Goldfarb Protocols for Induced Lactation. (2000). Retrieved January 20, 2012, from http://asklenore.com/breastfeeding/induced_lactation/gn_protocols.shtml

Breastfeeding Your Adopted Baby or Baby Born by Surrogate/Gestational Carrier. (2009). Retrieved Jan xx, 2012, from http://www.nbci.ca/

Mezzacappa, E. S., and East. S. Katkin. (2002). Breastfeeding is associated with reduced perceived stress and negative mood in mothers. Health Psychology 21:187-193.

Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman Northward. (2009) Early on pare-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants Cochrane Summaries

Morton J, Hall, J and Wong, R et. al. (2009, July, 2) Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of preterm infants . Journal of Perinatology accelerate online publication; doi: ten.1038/jp.2009.87

West, D. and Marasco, 50. (2009) The Breastfeeding Mother'southward Guide to Making More Milk. McGraw-Colina.

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Source: https://breastfeedingusa.org/content/article/breastfeeding-your-adopted-baby-0

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