Home Forums Induced Lactation aka Adoptive Breastfeeding Natural Methods to Induce Lactation/Increase Milk Supply Should I this late in the game????

I breastfed our first adopted daughter for a while over 2 years ago and used the accelerated protocol and achieved about half what she needed. We couldn't stick with it for several reasons, but between what I had pumped and donor milk, she still had breast milk for about 5 months.

For our second adoption, we didn't think we'd have time to prepare so I gave up on the idea (and boy were we right about not having time!). We got a last minute call and boom! The baby is home. We had an extra hospital stay due to some medical issues, but we are home now. She has BAD reflux, but seems to be doing well otherwise. She kept after my breast, so I gave it to her and she TOOK IT!!! It got me thinking that maybe we should give breastfeeding a try after all. She has been bottle fed for 2 weeks though. I do still have my supplementer, but no longer have my pump. I do not think we can afford the domperidone this time around, but I think we might be able to swing the herbs.

So... worth it???

I would nurse her! Go for it! What do you have to loose? You can still have your nursing relationship. Remember there are moms that adopt overseas and their babies are 7 months to a year old.. And a lot of them start nursing then. You have good age to do it. You will probably regret it if you don't.

Well, that didn't take long. We just tried with the SNS and it did NOT go well. She totally refused one side, and even the side she took was awful. She got mad, I got mad... yucko. Bad idea I guess!

Try to slip the tubing in after she is latched on. The sns flows really fast for some babies so it may have just thrown her off. Plus with the reflux the way the flow was may have bothered her. Try a different position. You can continue to comfort nurse her without the sns also. I would still take the herbs and nurse her in whatever way you can manage.

Dear Joybells,

Come on honey, you can't make a decision based on one attempt. Have you contacted a board certified lactation consultant to assist you? That's the best advice I can give you.

And if you want to bring in your milk supply you can still do it. Many mothers have done so with a baby at the breast. You can do a modified acelerated protocol for 30 days while breastfeeding but no pumping until the 30 days are complete or try goat's rue and domperidone with baby at the breast and pump after feeds to build your milk supply. These are just two options. You can also just put baby to breast with the supplementer. That's the way it used to be done. Works for some moms.

Best, Lenore