[mznia504]

I have decided that I want to breastfeed our son. I have an appt on Monday with the lactation specialist. I am just wondering what I should expect from the first appt. I wonder if I will be leaving the clinic and starting hormones the next day? Anyone have any experience. I checked the breastfeeding board and everything is mostly outdated. Thanks for any advice anyone can offer.

[SchmennaLeigh]

Check out this blog and her right sidebar for great information: AfrIndie Mum

[Poohbear2003]

I breast fed our daughter and she is almost 3.5, and I am planning on breastfeeding our next child. We have been waiting for 6 months with our agency for #2.

There are so many different ways to approach it. Last time I did no advance prep as our DD was an instant placement. But ended up breastfeeding her for 7 months and it was amazing.

This time I am on the Newman protocal taking the BCP and Dompedridone now and when we get matched I stop the BCP and start pumping till the baby arrives. I am trying it this time to just get a jump start and hopefully get a better milk supply. But things went just fine last time with no advance prep. I was followed by a Lactation consultant alot last time. And it helped alot if they have previous experince with induced lactation and adoptive nursing.

Feel free to ask more questions. Good luck

Pooh

[jenedens6102]

This is honestly something I had never considered. I guess I assumed that not going through a pregnancy I wouldn't be able to produce milk enough to breast feed. Wow, this opens a new door. Best of luck to you.

[mumofone]

I would have loved to have breastfed by children, but we didn't have enough notice to start taking the supplements, etc.

[Persephone76]

I always planned on BFing my bio child, but I never got PG. I feel odd thinking about BFing an adopted child.

Any thoughts on this?

[dragonfly1234]

phersephone.

Never doubt the love you will instantly have with your child when it is placed in your arms. It doesn't matter whether you gave birth or not...

Breastfeeding is the most incredible experience you could ever have with your child and it just bonds you even more than you could every imagine.

Michelle

[teranga]

"Never doubt the love you will instantly have with your child when it is placed in your arms. It doesn't matter whether you gave birth or not..."

I know this is a bit off-topic, but I did just want to say that not everyone feels instant love for a child, whether bio or adopted, and this is totally "normal." We have 2 bio kids (instant love) and 1 adopted (not at all instant. Took a long time, even though he was a cute, wonderful 8 month old). I felt incredibly guilty about it for a long time, until I started reaching out, and found that struggling to make that attachment is as normal as the instant love stories. I guess I expected the instant love, and was very disappointed and guilty for not feeling it. I love him so much now, but it took time. I just wish someone had told me up-front that it's not always instantaneous and that there is not anything "wrong" if you don't feel it right away. (Which is why I'm putting it out there now, in case anyone else meets their child and just isn't feeling the instant love).


Now..back to the topic at hand !

[Leigh131313]

Good luck with the protocals!! I hope it works well for you.

[Poohbear2003]

breastfeeding an adopted child unless you would feel odd breastfeeding a biological child

For some people breastfeeding isn't a natural thing even if you give birth. For me it was very natural.

And yes the minute my DD was placed in my arms at less than a day old, I felt like she was mine in every sense of the word and it was not at all odd to treat her in that way including breastfeeding. Having a newborn gave me instant motherly instincts to bring her close to me and nurture her and feed her. But I can completely understand why many choose not to breastfeed even biological children and don't look negatively upon it at all. I will not judge others for not breastfeeding and therefore expect others to not judge me for breatfeeding.
'
It was wonderful for me and I loved being able to breastfeed my daughter and Hope I can do it next time as well.

Pooh
DD 3yrs-adopted at birth
waiting almost 6 months for #2 via domestic agency

[mznia504]

Thank you all for your input. My appt with the lactation specialist is on Monday and I am very excited.

I do not feel strange or think that it's odd to BF adopted children. I too planned to BF my bio children, but never got PG. When I found out that I could BF my adopted child, I was very happy about that. We all say and KNOW that we will love our adopted children the same as we would love our bio children. So why not offer your adopted child the same thing you were already willing to offer your bio child?? It makes no sense to me Once my child is placed in my arms, he will be MY CHILD. Although he will know and family will know that he is adopted, he will not be treated any differently than we would bio children.

Please don't take any offense to what I have said, as this is my opinion and I surely do not expect everyone to agree

[2manyks]

my teenagers think its creepy that i want to BF my adopted baby. but they think BFing is creepy anyways! i want to try it. i am wondering if anyone got oposition from Bmom. also, since i bf my bio children and was very successful at it, will that make it easier for me? i want to bf but dont know if i can make the commitment to find the time to do all the proticals it takes, hormones, dom., etc. i am thinking about just taking some herbs and start pumping and see what happens.

[Poohbear2003]

Originally Posted by 2manyks

my teenagers think its creepy that i want to BF my adopted baby. but they think BFing is creepy anyways! i want to try it. i am wondering if anyone got oposition from Bmom. also, since i bf my bio children and was very successful at it, will that make it easier for me? i want to bf but dont know if i can make the commitment to find the time to do all the proticals it takes, hormones, dom., etc. i am thinking about just taking some herbs and start pumping and see what happens.

We had an instant placement and brought our DD home that day and didn't mention anything to the **. It was a little time consuming getting started but so is breastfeeding a biologocal child. I didn't take hormones just Dom and some herbs and that wasn't any trouble.

This time we hope to be matched in advance to the birth and I am now taking the BCP and Dom and once we are matched I will stop the BCP and start pumping until the baby is born. The only thing I found somewhat harder is using the supplementer. But you get the hang of it if you are organized and I used it for 7 months and was a pro by the end.

I found it very natural. And I have no regrets and hope so much that I can do it next time.

Pooh
DD 3yrs adopted at birth
Waiting almost 6 months with doemestic agency

[2manyks]

so, I am matched and waiting for a birth the end of march. i have plenty of time to prepare. i read somewhere that the medications made a woman really tired and i cant afford to be anymore tired since this adoption is not my first child. do the medications make you tired at all? are there any other side affects you are experiencing?

[Poohbear2003]

Originally Posted by 2manyks

so, I am matched and waiting for a birth the end of march. i have plenty of time to prepare. i read somewhere that the medications made a woman really tired and i cant afford to be anymore tired since this adoption is not my first child. do the medications make you tired at all? are there any other side affects you are experiencing?

Its hard to say but I don't think the medications have many side effect excited the Dom can affect your tummy a bit while you get used to it. Last time I was tired cause I had a new baby so I can't say. This time I am tired with just life in general so again hard to say. Wishing you all the best.

Pooh