Breastfeeding - Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby

Yes, it is often possible to breastfeed an adopted baby!

• First, see the page on why to breastfeed. The reasons for breastfeeding given on that page apply to all babies, including adopted ones.
• The way you go about breastfeeding an adopted baby depends on many factors which have to do with your personal situation, the baby's age and life history. It's usually more challenging than breastfeeding your biological offspring, since establishing breastfeeding immediately after birth helps, but is usually not feasible with an adopted baby.
• Here are some suggestions that might help:
• If you are already nursing a baby or child, don't wean her or him. If your child continues nursing until you get your next baby, you'll have a strong milk supply ready. If she or he is old enough to understand it, explain that you want her or him to keep nursing so you'll have milk for the new baby. This might even help your child in accepting the new sibling (feeling that they are able to help in a real way means a lot to children). Of course, don't force your child to keep nursing if she or he does not want to. Finally, don't worry; it's OK to nurse both your older child and your new baby at the same time. In fact, it is likely that this reduces sibling rivalry.
• If your child weans her- or himself before the new baby comes, pump your breasts regularly (preferably with a hospital-grade breastpump) to keep your milk supply. You can freeze the milk you collect for later use; it is usable for about six months. (Many breastfeeding books will tell you not to keep breastmilk frozen for longer than two or three months because it starts to lose its nutrients by that time. However, it is still better than formula; do keep it if you would otherwise have to give your child formula, and if your freezer is cold enough to keep ice cream hard.)
• If you are not lactating at the moment, start trying to induce lactation a few months before you expect to get your baby.
  • If you have been pregnant in the past into the third trimester, it is very likely that you'll succeed in inducing lactation now (regardless of whether or not you breastfed in the past).
  • Even if you have never been pregnant before, you nay be able to induce lactation. However, you might not be able to. Accept this so you don't get disappointed too badly if you can't induce lactation.
  • If you induce lactation without being pregnant (especially if you've never lactated before), you probably won't produce enough milk to feed the baby on an exclusively breastmilk diet. You'll need to supplement with formula (of course, you can and should use whatever quantity of milk you've been able to freeze before your baby arrives).
• Here is how you go about inducing lactation:
  • Get the best quality breastpump you can get. These are quite expensive. You can buy one if you are sure you can sell it when you're done using it. Otherwise, rent one.
  • Start pumping for a few minutes a few times a day. Gradually work up to about eight to ten times a day, for about fifteen minutes each time.
  • You may start getting milk in a few weeks or a few months.
  • Adjust the suction level and length of pumping so your nipples don't get sore or bleed!
• After the baby comes:
  • It is likely that your baby has been bottle-fed up to now. Consult the page on nipple confusion for information on how to get a bottle-fed baby interested in the breast.
  • Nurse on demand, so you can increase your milk supply.
  • Continue pumping. You need all the extra milk you can get, and your breasts can use the extra stimulation, which tells them to produce more milk.
  • Don't forget to supplement if you need to (you probably will, unless you were still nursing another child when you got your new baby). See the page on supplementation to get some ideas on how to supplement breastfeeding without jeopardizing your milk supply too much.
  • Consider the Supplemental Nursing System or a similar device. These let you enjoy the closeness of breastfeeding and allow your breasts to get extra stimulation while you feed your baby with supplements (which may include breastmilk that you have pumped). Use this device for a while even if you have not been able to induce lactation before your baby arrives. Sometimes, just holding, smelling, and kissing a baby will do wonders with your hormone levels, and you may find that you start lactating soon after the baby comes.
  • If you are unable to nurse your adopted baby, don't blame yourself. Your body was designed to lactate after pregnancy to feed your biological child. You can bottle-feed and still be a good mother (or father!). See the page on how to make the best of bottle-feeding.

Back to the breastfeeding main page

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