Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Medical Interventions to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Re-introducing the breast to an older infant

Hi everyone,

I'll be traveling to pick up my 14 month old soon. She's been in an orphanage since 5 months old, bottle fed formula.

I'm looking for tips, suggestions, "been there done that"s on re-introducing the breast to an older infant.

Looking forward to this final step in the journey!
E

This is an old post but I didn't see it before now. How is it going? I think it's great that you are going to provide breastmilk to your 14 month old! That's how old my daughter is now and she really really loves her Momma's Milk!

We picked up Helina at 10 months and she had been bottle fed since at least 1 month old. I started by holding her in the breastfeeding position to feed her her bottles. She resisted this sometimes as she was not used to always being held for feedings, but soon adjusted and enjoyed it, and let me hold the bottle. I then fed her topless when practical, with my breast and nipple against her cheek and corner of her mouth. When we got home I tried bathing with her and showing her the breast and expressing milk into her mouth. She never showed any interest in latching although she knows well where her milk comes from and will touch the nipple with her finger and then put her finger in her mouth. She has licked my nipple a couple of times but that's as close as we ever got to feeding at the breast. She graduated from the bottle at 12 months, drinks her bmilk from a sippy cup now and loves it. I still hold her for her morning feeding, but otherwise she is a big girl. I plan to continue pumping until I just can't stand it anymore. Who knows when that will be!

What I found key was lots of patience, and to go by my daughter's cues. I had to keep in mind that breastfeeding, while it is something I REALLY wanted to do, was truly for the baby, and up to the baby. As I realized that Helina wasn't ever going to nurse at the breast, I focused on how great it felt when she wanted my milk, made the sign for milk to me, let me hold her close for feedings, etc. I feel like we have a biological connection, part of me is now part of her, and that is an amazing feeling.

I wish you the best of luck. Please let me know how it's going.

HI Jenny,

I'm so glad you replied because I was about to give up!

My daughter is 16 months old now and isn't interested in the breast, I've tried several times to no avail. I've done skin to skin, plus squirting milk in her mouth (that did work, she actually licked her lips). A couple times I got my nipple in her mouth when she was falling asleep, but she didn't suck. She has made the sucking motion with her mouth a couple times when she's seen my breasts.

I'm still pumping and giving her my milk through a bottle--will start with a sippy cup asap. I make about 6-8 oz a day and she drinks more than that--my frozen supply is depleting so I'm at the point where I'm wondering if I should just stop. What do you think? It's harder to maintain the pumping schedule I did before the kids came home (did I mention we brought home a 4 year old too?).

I haven't met with my LC yet but I will talk with her this week.

Looking forward to hearing how it's going with you and getting your advice,
E

Dear E

Thanks for writing back! It's nice to talk to someone that induced lactation for an older infant/child. I don't think there are many of us out here.

To answer your question, I don't think I can tell you whether you SHOULD stop or not. I think you should examine how you feel about it. Is pumping taking time away from your daughter? Are you going to miss being able to provide your milk to her? Does she look forward to getting momma's milk from you? Is extended breastfeeding important to you?

For me I would like to continue pumping for at least a month after H starts day care so she gets antibodies during a time when she will be exposed to lots of new germs. I think she'll be starting day care between July and Sep. So it looks like I will be pumping through the summer. After that I imagine stopping. Pumping for me definitely does take time away from my daughter, that is a downside. And I'm getting less sleep than I need in order to pump late in the evenings and early in the mornings. I'm going to look forward to stopping and I'm sure I'll be ready to stop by the fall, but I will miss the bigger boobs :), and being able to provide my milk to my daughter.

Let me know how it goes with the LC this week, and what you decide to do.