One of the best means of feeding baby is through breastfeeding, but adoptive mothers can’t breastfeed if they haven’t carrying the baby for the pregnancy – or can they?

Adoptive mothers breastfeed all the time, though many don’t ever produce enough milk naturally to satiate appetite and supply enough calories for optimal growth. Breastfeeding after adoption is something a woman needs to prepare for and that preparation can take months – so decide early and start on the path to being a breastfeeding adoptive mom. 

Starting the Milk Production Cycle
The female body is an amazing thing. If you start pumping your breast at any time during your reproductive years you will produce milk – after a time. The first signs of milk may take a few weeks to show, but soon you will be pumping milk on a daily basis. Some women pump enough milk to freeze before baby arrives and others simply produce enough to get baby’s attention. 

Taking a drug called domperidone can increase milk supply, so talk with your gynecologist about taking the medication before bringing baby home. Even with domperidone, you may never produce enough milk for your baby, so lactation aids are available. 

Lactation Aids and Breastfeeding an Adopted Infant
A lactation aid is a bottle filled with formula or breastmilk. The bottle has a thin tube that is fed between the corner of baby’s mouth and the breast. Once the tube is properly inserted, the infant pulls breastmilk or formula through the tube as he is breastfeeding. The baby has no idea the milk is not coming from the breast and mom gets the bonding she needs to attach on a deeper level with the infant. 

Moral Issues of Adoptive Breastfeeding
There have been moral issues associated with adoptive breastfeeding. Issues include race and male breastfeeding. There is nothing illegal about mixed race or male breastfeeding, so the issues are something you will have to address on a more personal basis –but rest assured there are other parents out there facing the same moral issues.