Breastfeeding an adopted baby.

[rosehannah]

I remember when I was a member of ABA reading a booklet about breastfeeding an adopted baby. I found it very interesting that you don't need to have given birth to be able to breastfeed. I was wondering has anyone done this or know of anyone?

[Tobily]

I don't know of anyone but I also remember hearing about this when I was looking into relacting when my DD was about 6 months old.

Takes an incredible amount of dedication and commitment to get it going and I think it's wonderful that someone would do this for their new child

[Olive]

i saw a women in the US do it after using a surragant to carry her child, the baby was put straight to her breast after it was born!!

[MantaRay]

This is not uncommon RH. I don't want to dob anyone in who might not want to share their own story, but there is someone on here who has done it.

[Heaven]

I heard about it in a course at uni. My lecturer knew of a woman who adopted twins from overseas. She had no intention of breastfeeding them but was being sent pictures of the mother when she was pregnant and pictures of the boys from when they were first born until when she got them (a few months later I think) and she found that she just started producing breast milk and was able to breastfeed both of them when she got them.
Isn't the mind and body just amazing!!!!

[rosehannah]

Thanks for the replies so far everyone, I would imagine it to be an amazing bonding experience for the mother. The way I saw it being done was using a supply line(I think thats what it was called) where the mother wore a fine tube attached to a bottle (that had formula I think), the tube ran down her breast and was sucked at the same time as the baby suckled the nipple. I believe this stimulated the breast while providing nutrition to the baby, with the goal of the baby breastfeeding without the need of the tube. If I have this wrong then feel free to correct me. I would be interested to here of any other ways that may have been used.

[maddysmummy]

WOW how interesting!! amazing what our bodies can do!!

[Phoenix]

I believe that there is a resident on this forum who has BF an adopted child-not naming names as I'm sure she'll pop in and read this thread anyway.
I think it is absolutely amazing what the female body is capable of doing. It's a pity that adoptive BF isn't more widely promoted to prospective parents as a way to bond with their child regardless of whether they are a baby or not.
Dr Karleen Gribble is a wonderful expert in this field with much research into the benefits to children being BF-she also has personal experience with this.

[Barb Glare]

HI,

I know lots of women that have breastfed adopted babies.
My youngest daughter, Guan was adopted from China at the age of 10 months and I'm happy to report that she turned 5 years old on Christmas eve and we are happily breastfeeding.
There is an individual story for every adopted mother and child who breastfeeds. I have 3 biological children that I have breastfed for an average of 4 years each. But I know women who have had no biological children who have breastfed.
Regards
Barb

[rosehannah]

Thanks again for the replies everyone

Barb, thanks for your personal story.

[mumzy]

WOW How interesting!

[Tracey]

A friend of ours adopted her husbands sisters 3rd baby...
She was encouraged to start expressing in the last 3months of the pregnancy & when the baby was born she was born into the arms of our friend & was placed staright to the breast, I am not sure exactly but I believe a supply line was added & baby was fed Mum's expressed Colostrum for the first few weeks & eventually my friend was exclusivelt breastfeeding her daughter...

She recently turned 3!

[Neenee Jellybeanie]

That is so amazing and beautiful! Breastfeeding really is all about love

[~Jayne~]

OMG Barb, you are just INCREDIBLE! What a lovely gesture & I'm just blown away!!!!
I have heard around the places of this happening, but I've never actually known of anybody actually doing it. Just brilliant.
I'm speechless, I don't know what else to say but WOW!
I think it's wonderful!