Lenore, I have written an article and made referance to this site. I am wondering if you would mind if I sent it off to possibly be published in various magazines and such. Please take a read and get back to me. Thank you so much.
Adoptive Breastfeeding: My success story while waiting for my baby
By Jennifer Siver (July 2003)
I would like to make people aware of this beautiful experience that an adoptive mother can share with her child, breastfeeding. I also want to empower adoptive mothers to try breastfeeding, if they feel it fits into their lifestyle.
When my husband and I were considering adoption we had so many questions that we needed answers for. Not knowing anyone who has or is adopted I went to the Internet for answers. One day I just happened along an article on adoptive breastfeeding. I read the information and then just put it aside. I mentioned to a couple of people that we were planning to adopt and they asked if I knew that it was possible to breastfeed. After these comments I decided to take a deeper look into the topic, that?s when I ran across Dr. Jack Newman & Lenore Golfarb?s ?Protocol For Induced Lactation? at their website:
http://www.asklenore.info . The studies showed many women with some impressive success rates. I researched and gathered as much information and even talked to people on the site?s bulletin board. The protocol involved taking medications and using a breast pump (please see the site for full details). I so excited about the prospects.
The first step to beginning the protocol was to go see my GP. He sent then sent me to an OB/GYN. When I got into see the doctor he read the referral letter, looked confused and asked me to explain why I was there. I said, ?my husband and I are planning to adopt and I want to breastfeed?. He then gave me the same confused look that he had just given to the letter. He looked at me and said, ?I?m not even sure that this is possible?. Well, I said, ?I can tell you that it is possible and there are many women who have success with it?. I offered him the material that I had gathered through the Internet. He thumbed through it and was not convinced. He said to let his receptionist photocopy the papers that I brought and he would get back to me (I am still waiting for that call). We could tell that we weren?t going to get anywhere with this doctor who made us feel like second class citizens, so we went back to our GP. He was great, he reviewed the information I had gathered and agreed to prescribe the meds needed.
I began following the protocol and because I didn?t know when my baby would be coming or what my success rate would be, I began pumping on day 64. I noticed some drops right away. Within one day I was collecting tablespoons of milk. By the end of the week I had my first ounce in one pumping session. In one month I was pumping around 10 ounces per day. Right now I have been pumping for two months and I am collecting around 20 ounces per day. I freeze the milk so that if I need to suppliantly feed the baby, then he/she can have only my milk. My freezer right now is being taken over by breast milk. It is so exciting to see the results. Some days it feels like a lot of work. I just remember all of the many benefits that my hard work will have for my baby.
I love to talk to people about my success. I think that it is so important to inform people, because knowledge is power. Being treated like I wasn?t worthy to breastfeed my baby by the OB/GYN made me feel unimportant and I don?t think anyone should feel that way. Most people are very interested and wish me all of the best. But be aware, there are always those people who are closed-minded and are not open to anything they don?t understand. Be strong, persevere, you can make it through. Find a support system including: your partner, La Leche League,
http://www.asklenore.info, your adoption agency and anyone you find helpful.
There are always going to be fears. I am concerned about other people?s negative perception of me breastfeeding my adopted child. I worry about a lack of support from the attending doctors and nurses at my child?s birth. Through this process, the one thing that I have learned is to inform myself, be strong and face each problem as it arises. Like every mom, I want to give my child the best possible start in life. I believe that breast milk is the best milk!
