Breastfeeding…well obviously I’m a huge supporter. But what happens if you have a low supply or none at all? What if you adopted and always dreamed of nursing a baby? Well it can be possible. There are a few supplemental nursing systems out there that will help you. But most importantly is actually putting a baby to breast. Even I do it and Parker doesn’t latch, suck or swallow but it sends the signals my body & brain need to produce more milk. If you have a baby that can suck, swallow & latch but you don’t have a great supply then you should definitely invest in the supplemental nursing systems either made my Lact-Aid or Medela…here are the pictures
It basically holds formula/breastmilk above your breasts and has a tube that is connected to your nipple. You put it on during feeds and babies will latch on to you to send signals to your body that you need to produce milk and also sends signals to their bodies that this is how they can get food. WIN-WIN! Some adoptive mothers pumped for months to get a supply, however pumping is nothing like the real thing. So to get a better supply, yes pumping is amazing to help but it in no way is any indication of how your body will produce milk once you have a supply and a baby is latching to feed. Some people will pump for days, weeks and months before actually putting a baby to breast. These systems were made to help us and we should take advantage of technology. These things weren’t around for my mom’s generation and if they had been there was no such thing as google or lactation consultants to tell you how to increase your milk supply.
The more frequently you have a baby “nurse” at the breast the better. Breastfeeding is all about supply&demand. If your baby is latching and telling your brain it needs food, your body will eventually get the signal to start producing enough to feed that baby. Obviously most people reading this won’t have a newborn that only eats an ounce or two. So the more you put that baby to breast and use these supplemental nursing systems the better.
“Whatever method is used, the baby’s lips should be tickled and he should be encouraged to open his mouth and take the bottle nipple, finger or pacifier into it, rather than it being inserted into his mouth. This may help preserve the “rooting” reflexes that babies are born with, which are there to help them find the breast and start nursing.” – Adoptive Breastfeeding
Investing in a great pump to help stimulate your nipples for breastfeeding is a must. You can rent hospital grade pumps from different sources, and if you qualify for WIC you can most likely get one free. Some hospitals even have a warm lactation phone line you can call to get immediate help.
Here is a link to read about moms who adopted and ended up breastfeeding: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbadoptive.html Here is a link for low milk supply support : http://www.lowmilksupply.org/abs.shtml
*Obviously I’m not a doctor, nurse, or lactation consultant. I research things, I try them out and I share what information I know. If you know something else, please comment and help the moms out there who are stuck and want to breastfeed! The more information we know the better, and what works for one mom may not work for the other.
Naturally Loved 