How to Breastfeed an Adopted Child Without Lactating

Member

By Julia Fuller
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (12 Ratings)

Breastfeeding an infant

You always thought you would breastfeed your baby when you became a mother but you are not producing milk. Perhaps you are adding to your family through adoption and did not have time to take herbal supplements or pills to promote lactation. Is it possible for you to still breastfeed? Many woman feel that the act of breastfeeding will help the act of bonding with a newly adopted infant. How do you breastfeed an adopted child without lactating?

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Supplemental Breasfeeding System SNS
Formula

Step 1

Medela SNS Supplemental Nursing System

Ask the hospital when you pick up the infant if they supply kits for supplemental breastfeeding an adopted child. If they do not, check Amazon or an infant specialty infant store for a supplemental breastfeeding system. If you cannot do any of these, check your pharmacy and buy about 3-feet of narrow clear tubing. It is similar to the tubing used with a diabetic pump or g-tube. It is about 1/4 the diameter of regular fish aquarium tubing.
Step 2

Poke the tubing into a rubber nipple that fits on a baby bottle that you will use to hold the formula.
Step 3

Wash bottles, nipples, and tubing and sterilize

Sterilize the bottle, nipple, and tubing of the supplemental breastfeeding system before each use, including the first use. Have the tubing in place and the bottle and nipple ready so you don't waste a lot of time preparing when baby is hungry.
Step 4

Use a regular bottle and formula

Mix the baby formula according to the directions on the can. A newborn will probably only take 2-ounces at a time or less. A rule of thumb used is 2.5 ounces of formula per day for each pound a baby weighs. So a five-pound baby should take about 12.5 ounces a day of prepared baby formula. If your baby was taking a bottle every four hours that would be a little over 2-ounces each time. If your baby is feeding every two hours then it would come out to about 1-ounce each time.
Step 5

Set down in a comfortable spot with your baby such as a large overstuffed chair or the couch. Have a pillow on each side to help support babies head while you manipulate the tubing.
Step 6

Expose the breast and help baby latch on.

Expose the breast and help the baby to latch on. If you need help with this, try going to this website for the Le Leche league, http://www.llli.org/NB/NBadoptive.html, or ask an experienced mom who has breastfed. Once baby is suckling at the breast go to the next step. Don't wait too long or baby will get frustrated from hunger.
Step 7

Slip the tube in beside the nipple

Slip the tube into the side crease of baby's mouth while baby is nursing. The other end of the tube is in the bottle of formula. Set the formula between your leg and the pillow or in a special holder made for breastfeeding with bottle supplement. You should see the white formula make its way up the tube and into baby's mouth. If you do not see it going up the tube make sure you have it far enough into the bottle and into baby's mouth.

Comments

painthorse42 said

Flag This Comment

on 11/23/2008 Great article - 5*

showpup said

on 8/25/2008 My sister in law tried the herbal remedies but was unsuccessful. I didn't know this method was possible. Also, some Mom's may want to investigate on goat's milk. I had dairy goats and provided the free fresh, unpasturized milk. If you have a trusted, clean source, this is a wonderful option. My sister in law added almond paste to her's for added nutrition.