Adoptive Breastfeeding: Evolution of a Breastfeeding Mom

I got to where I could set up the SNS, toss it down my shirt, and have him latched on in just a VERY short time.  We nursed in public. We nursed while walking down the mall with him in my sling. (That’s tricky and takes practice with an SNS! They can leak!)

Medications.

Everyone used to ask me, “How many pills do you take every day?”  Seriously, it was a lot.

• Domperidone, 2 tablets with each meal, and 2 at bedtime.
• Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle, 2 capsules of each with each meal.
• A prenatal vitamin a day.
• Total= 21 per day

I will admit, I got very, very tired of swallowing capsules.  But they helped.  Without the medication and herb protocol I wouldn’t have had my milk come in like it did. It was totally worth it.

What was different this time around?

1. I was determined.
2. I wanted to nurse a full year and then continue until he was ready to wean.
3. I sought out the information and support for myself.
4. Many people thought I was crazy, and I didn’t care.
5. Some people thought what I was doing was wrong. And I didn’t care.
6. I was older, and our two adopted sons were such a GIFT to us, it was impossible not to want to give something back. Nursing my adopted son was the hardest, best thing I ever did.

Total nursing time for he and I: 14 months.

If I could do it, you can do it. I can’t tell you how sad it makes me to hear a young mom tell me “I wanted to breastfeed but I had to stop because I didn’t have enough milk.”  Enough milk?  I HAD NONE TO START WITH. Not a drop. If you WANT to breastfeed, do it.  Supplement at the breast if you need to, but do it.  It’s not about the milk, it’s about the relationship. When I really wrapped my brain around that concept, everything changed. It wasn’t about ME, it was about US.

Did I get a full supply?  Eventually, yes. It took me about 9 months before I was able to ditch the supplementer completely. He wasn’t eating baby food (he had a hyper-gag reflex when presented with a spoon—a by-product of taking massive amounts of maintenance antibiotics every day for months on end) but did eat a little off of my plate, very mashed of course. Mostly though, he was my happy little nursling. And what a blessing it was!

I hope that our story helps someone out there, and encourages other would-be adoptive moms to look into breastfeeding your own adopted baby. I promise you that it’s worth it.