how do you produce milk to breast feed an adopted baby?

[SHANNONK]

what do you have to do to beable to breast feed when you are adopting. I never knew you could do that.

[SHANNONK]

Thank you so much for your help. I appreciate it.

[HopesPromise]

I followed the Newman-Goldfarb protcol. I had only 6 weeks notice from the time we found out about our dd until she was born. I never produced more than a few drops, but the experience was VERY worthwhile and I would definitley do it again. Hopefully we would have more notice and I'd have more production. But no matter how much milk you produce, the EXPERIENCE of it, the bonding with your child...those are the things that I truly treasure.

Even a small amount of milk will give the baby some benefit. It takes time and a lot of effort, but it can be done. It usually takes several months of pumping and following a protocol to get a good supply.

I would see out a La Leche League expert in your area to help you along. I also hooked up with the breastfeeding educator at the nearby hospital here.

Here are some great websites for you to get you going~


www.asklenore.info

www.lact-aid.com

www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/adopt.html

[lleva99]

DawnL had wonderful luck abreastfeeding her two boys. This is how I met her. I'm an OB nurse and she'd traveled across the country to adopt Jeran at the hospital where I work. If I remember right, she was pumping in excess of 30 ounces of milk a day so she had tons of milk when he was finally born and she was breastfeeding. I know that she started early on, like 9 months before Jeran was born so she had tons of time. I tried the abreastfeeding and was like HopesPromise, only pumped for about 6 weeks before dd was born and never got more than a few drops at a time. It was nice though. We used a lact aid for feedings.

[tstodghill]

Ok, so I have read Lisa's posts on the herbal way to induce lactation, and the posts on here, and I have a question....Goats Rue...you take that to "prepare your breast for lactation, and for tissue growth...Blessed Thistle, Marshmellow root, and all of the other stuff found in More Milk Plus is to increase the supply of milk after taking the herbs and pumping several times a day...it is best to pump at night to increase production...right?


I have talked to a lactation consultant, but they want to go the birth control route...and dh is against the birth control idea because estrogen is evil <mwuahahahahah> or at least me on birth control gave him that impression

The bright side is, I am starting early, so I should have plenty of time to try to prepare. I even bought a Medala dual breast pump...I have heard so many horror stories about pumping and breast feeding....hopefully it is worth it

[HopesPromise]

I didn't do BCP. That was part of the protocol for the Newman-Goldfarb plan but I didn't want to go back on the pill. So I skipped that part. I took the Domperidone, Blessed Thistle and drank milk tea..can't think of what it was called. The biggest thing though is the pumping. Pump when you can. I don't think doing at night has any advantage?? I never heard that. When I started the protocol, I pumped once a day for a few days, then 2x a day, then 3x, then every 4 hours. Have you checked out the link for the Newman-Goldfarb protocol?

[tstodghill]

I may have, but I should probably look into it some more. Sometimes I tend to oversaturate myself with information and then I can't remember where I read what...I must say that I am not looking forward to the "pumping experience" but the end result will be worth it!

[tstodghill]

Ok, so I have been taking the Goats Rue and More Milk Plus for almost a week now...my breast pump came in the mail yesterday. I started using the pump last night...

My question is, is breast milk sticky?

I have only pumped twice, for about 20 mins, but it seems like there is "some unknown substance" we will say for now, already expressing *in very small amounts*

Oh, and is it normal for one breast to produce more than the other? That was a concern for later on...

(I really have no clue. I have only been PG once and miscarried at 3 months so I never made it this far)

[JAS]

Hi, I am also an adoptive mom of five, and breast fed all my kids, my last baby for three years. I took Domperidone this last time, and pumped for 20 minutes every two hours around the clock. I started three months before she was born and had frozen 244 bags of breast milk. I had a full supply the entire time. I have tried all methods and this worked the best by far. Domperidone is just a medication for digestion issues, and does no harm to you or the baby. You can get it over the internet from Mexico or Europe. Hope that helps. It was SO worth the time, I would do it again in a second. JAS

[HopesPromise]

tstodghill~~~ Good job starting the pumping!! I never produced very much at all, but I don't specifically remember anything being sticky. The first substance was white-yellowish and sometimes a tad bloody looking. And YES it is completely normal for one breast to produce more/less than the other. I would PM DawnL, cro, or Jas....they have been very successful with it and could tell you from experience what it was like as far as specific substances!!