I can’t begin to present all of the available information and resources on adoptive breastfeeding here, but in a nutshell, adoptive moms have four major areas to investigate and consider as they decide whether to breastfeed:

1. Herbal and pharmacological options: Domperidone is no longer available to Americans, but some women have success with the drug Reglan. Some mothers also use the herbs fenugreek and blessed thistle. (See comments below for further info.) 2. Pumping: Especially if you aren’t using an herbal or medical approach to increasing your milk supply, pumping is crucial.... more

Because I had experience with it, I knew I could handle using one again. As you can see from the photo*, there is a small bottle for formula or expressed breast milk, with two tiny tubes that are affixed to the nipples using a soft surgical tape. When the baby latches on, he also gets the end of the tube in his mouth and is able to take in whatever breast milk is available, along with the milk in the bottle. The side benefit is that the more the baby is at the breast, the better the milk supply the mom can build up. While many nursing adoptive moms don’t... more

When we were waiting for the referral of our first Chinese daughter, I had a dream that was profound on two levels. First, I saw our baby. She was tiny, with wispy black hair and dressed in a blue sleeper. She looked much younger than I was expecting – maybe 6 months instead of the 10-11 months we were expecting based on referral trends at the time. The second profound thing was that I was breastfeeding her – something that had never before crossed my mind. This planted a seed that would later blossom into something wonderful... more