Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby and Relactation are Possible
by Elizabeth Hormann When the subject of breastfeeding an adopted baby comes up, eyebrows often go up as well. Even though the trend in the latter part of the twentieth century and into this one has been to encourage breastfeeding, that encouragement has rarely extended to the adoptive mother and her baby. Breastfeeding is seen-and rightly so-as a natural extension of the pregnancy and birth process. But to see it only in this light is to take too narrow a view both of the concept of breastfeeding and of the biological possibilities. Breastfeeding a baby is more that just feeding. It provides a close intimate interaction between mother and baby that involves all the senses. Mother and baby are in touch, skin-to-skin. They may spend part of the breastfeeding time gazing into each other's eyes. Mothers talk and croon to their babies while they breastfeed, and babies from a very early age, make little noises that even the most inexperienced mother recognizes as sounds of satisfaction. Breastfed babies are drawn to their mothers' breasts in part by smell (within a few days after birth they can distinguish their mothers from other women by smell alone). And babies, like other people, also enjoy their food because of its taste. Mothers enjoy that sweet baby smell (all the sweeter if he is being breastfed) and what mother has not indulged in a little finger nibbling as she has held her baby close? These interactions are not exclusive to breastfeeding couples. Many bottle-feeding mothers and their babies enjoy very close contact with one another, but this contact is built into the breastfeeding relationship in an easy comfortable way that is quickly picked up even when both mother and baby are amateurs. Adoptive mothers, like mothers of homegrown children, may also want to have the sort of relationship with their babies that breastfeeding offers. For the mother adopting because she has been unable to conceive or carry a baby to term, breastfeeding may offer a share in the biological experiences of motherhood that have other wise passed her by. There are special benefits for the baby as well, his entrance into the world, no matter how carefully and lovingly arranged by his birth parents and his adoptive parents, has not been easy. He has been separated from the mother whose heartbeats and voice and body rhythms he knew and he has had to make an attachment to a new mother who is, at first, a complete stranger. This attachment is far easier to make if he spends a good deal of his time in her arms, skin-to-skin, close to her heart. There he grows familiar with and learns to love the sounds of her heart and her voice, the feel of her skin on his, her special sweet smell and the face that he will soon prefer above all others. Breastfeeding has some physical advantages for the adopted baby as well, though they may not be as extensive as they are for a baby who has been born to his mother. Even a small amount of milk (and nearly all adoptive mothers will have some) can be helpful in protecting against allergies and provides nutrition that is ideally suited not just to baby in general, but to this baby in particular. The baby's mouth at the breasts sends subtle signals that ensure that his mother's milk is suited to his developmental stage and has antibodies to the illnesses to which both mother and baby have been exposed. The baby who suckles at the breast regularly-even if his primary nourishment comes from another source-is using his jaw and facial muscles the way they were meant to be used. He learns to position his tongue correctly at the gum line and to swallow in the way a baby should. The habits he learns suckling at the breast can have a profound effect on the positioning of his permanent teeth and on the development of his speech. Alternation from one breast to another is important to the development of hand-eye coordination. Convenience is not usually so much of an advantage in breastfeeding an adoptive baby as it is in breastfeeding a child you have borne yourself but if the baby breastfeeds for comfort or to go to sleep, it is just as convenient for adoptive families at these times as it is for any other family. Breastfeeding an adopted baby or relactation for a home grown baby is not easy. It requires time, strong commitment, a good bit of patience, and as much support as you can muster. This option may not suit every family or every baby adopted into a family. But for many families, there are some compelling advantages. Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby and Relactation By Elizabeth Hormann This book provides accurate information and strong support to get you started and to keep you going. Breastfeeding An Adopted Baby and Relactation is written primarily for adoptive parents and relactation mothers, as well as for the health professionals who assist them. Some of the topics discussed by author and translator Elizabeth Hormann, IBCLC, include: Myths about breastfeeding Preparation for adoptive breastfeeding Substances that stimulate milk production Beginning breastfeeding with an adopted baby Supplements Special situations Support for parents |
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