Is there any non-prescription drugs that will make wife begin to lactate?

Question

My wife and I are planning to adopt and we are throwimg around the idea of breastfeeding. Are there any drugs or anything we can try to make her start to lactate?

Answer 1

I don't think there is anything non-prescription that will induce lactation other than constant pumping.

I am shocked and surprised to hear other answerers referring to La Leche League as promotors of something so unnatural.  This is not something I would expect them to have stood for at all

Answer 2

Ahem.  As an RN I have assisted thousands of mothers with breastfeeding.  I am very supportive of breastfeeding, and breastfed my own children after giving birth to them.  Having said this, as an adoptee I am repulsed by the idea of a non-biological parent attempting to breastfeed a baby.

I have actually witnessed adoptive moms attempting this IN THE DELIVERY ROOM right after birth.  I asked myself why they found it necessary to have this IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL bond with the baby, when the baby was hardly breathing yet?!   Insecurity much?

I found it to be extremely disturbing and so did my colleagues, MDs and RNs alike (who weren't adopted btw).  There was even a case of a homosexual couple I remember that had a baby with a surrogate mother, and I remember that one of the MEN attempted breastfeeding.  Since he obviously wasn't going to produce milk...what was his motivation, hmmm?  

I re-submit my previous commentary on a similar question that an amom (or adad) wanting to breastfeed is something akin to a dog pissing on a tree.  S/he wants SO BADLY for that baby to be hers that she is going to do whatever it takes, no matter how unnatural.  I'm not a big fan of LLL, they are so single-minded in their purpose and they have no understanding or caring of the adoptees experience that, in my opinion, they are a poor choice to ask advice on addressing this very unique situation.

As an RN, I have also seen the biological mothers who have chosen to breastfeed their babies, even if for a few days, and/or some who pumped and provided the pumped milk for their babies for a time after the birth.  This is a very loving and not very difficult thing for them to do.  You may want to consider also this option if it's a possibility.

Answer 3

I wonder why people think that adoptive moms wanting to  breastfeed is gross or unnatural? I find that odd. Back in the olden days they had wet nurses and I even had to breastfeed my niece once while I was breastfeeding my son. Talk to your doctor about what you should do.

Answer 4

GROSSSSSSSSS about the durgs.

Help the natural mother begin breastfeeding so that this baby will recieve the benefits of colostrum.

Men can lactate too, you should also help suckle the baby, since one of you won't be able to produce enough.

Answer 5

This is to me a disgusting idea. No woman can replace the milk from a childs natural mother. It is the perfect food for that baby! The drugs used to stimulate lacatation are in my opinion not safe for the woman or the infant.

Answer 6

I'm sorry I dont have an answer for you. But I just wanted to express my admiration for you and your wife for thinking about breastfeeding.

I cant believe people are so down on the idea. Truly it is an amazing gift to give a child, not only the benefits of breastmilk but the effort involved for your wife to start lactating.

Answer 7

Of all the things to be worried about before adopting a child, this should be at the bottom of your list.  Taking drugs to stimulate something your wife was not meant to do, that will certainly NOT be better for child--doesn't this seem somewhat self-centered?

Adopting children is VASTLY different than raising your own.  I  wonder about women who want to breast feed adopted children...it's like they can't accept their infertility, and sort of 'use' the child to experience part of the birth process...  I believe this child would be more nutritionally served by Enfamil.

People talk about 'bonding' and 'attachment' with adopted kids.  In my opinion, but I think it either works or it doesn't.  You can't MAKE someone be more attached than they are capable of being.   Could I pluck a woman off the street, tell you she's your new wife, and make you LOVE her?

Why do people try to naively simplify human behavior--we're most complex mammal on the planet.  Are humans more complicated than dogs?    So if a poodle breast feeds from a  Lab, does it become a poodle?  It is what it is.

Children are hard wired.  Anyone who acts as if they're not is either dumb, or just can't see the world without rose-colored glasses.  You child will have lost the most important person who will have EVER been in his life--his mother- when you get him.  Your wife can do many things to make his life happier, and for him to feel more confident.  Breastfeeding is NOT one of them.

Please read The Primal Wound by Nancy Verrier and Journey of the Adopted Self by Betty Jean Lifton for more information and understanding.

The highly-charged area of adoption is so clouded by political correctness that it is very difficult to get honest information or opinions on.  Usually APs who speak in rosy terms are the parents of small children and infants,  when less 'personality' is visable, and the problems are manageable.  You won't often hear from APs who have teens or adults.

Answer 8

I think it's awesome that you'll breastfeed.

Don't listen to these people and their "breastmilk is made specifically for the baby you birth" BS. If another mother's breastmilk isn't better than any formula, there would be no such thing as a milk bank. Formula is fourth on the list of what's best for baby to have- breastmilk from tap, pumped breastmilk from mom, breastmilk from someone else THEN formula.

LLLI.org has a lot of info... and adoptive breastfeeding is way more NATURAL than processed cow's milk. Some people!

Answer 9

Oh, GAK!

Answer 10

The question here is NOT how we feel if this mother chooses to breastfeed her adopted child but if there are any ideas to help milk production.  This is HER CHOICE and HER HUSBAND is clearly in support - that is all that matters in that respect.

I know a family in the same situation.  She is in constant contact with a Lactation Consultant and a La Leche League Leader.  

I suggest both the Lactation Consultant & LLL Leader. Buying a high grade electric pump will be beneficial.  Pumping as often as every 2-3 hours is also how often a newborn would eat so I would start pumping with that frequently.  Mother's Milk Tea, Fenugreek, oatmeal, plenty of water/Gatorade are just a few that I have used to boost my milk production.  I didn't experience any side effects with the tea, but the Fenugreek gave me a *syrupy* kind of smell - some have reported a gassy baby too.  However with these added *boosts* I had to be prepared to pump more.  The b*****s are on a supply & demand production.  The more the b*****s are suckled at or pumped, the more the body is told to make.  Check out kellymom.com, they have loads of resources to help increase milk production naturally with herbs/teas/etc.

With whatever YOU & YOUR WIFE decide based on personal feelings/beliefs/research I'm sure the two of you will do what is best for YOUR family.  It is ultimately YOUR decision, ignore what anyone else thinks!!  Best wishes!!

Answer 11

As an adult adopted person, I would have been repulsed to find out my amother had done this, as it's just not natural.  It is certainly not necessary for bonding.

Someone else suggested milk from the natural mother.  Even in the Bible, the Pharaoh's daughter had Moses' natural mother breastfeed him.

Answer 12

your wife was not ment to breastfeed this child, if she was naturally lactating then all well and good, years ago wet nurses were common practice but dont go down the drugs road, its not a good road to go down, but well done for adopting i think its great and you obviously want this child to have the best start in life bravo to you and your wife :-)

Answer 13

It is absolutely beautiful that you and your wife want to give your adopted baby the gift of breastmilk.  

Contact your local La Leche League for help with this.  There are natural herbs and teas that can help your wife, along with actually allowing the baby to suckle in order to stimulate production.  Its totally possible!  Oddly enough, even a man can lactate if a baby is allowed to suckle at his nipple frequently enough.  I'm not recommending this, but merely trying to state that its not impossible to stimulate lactation in someone who has never given birth.  

Here is the La Leche League information about adoptive breastfeeding.  I also recommend contacting your local branch and getting help in person.  Good luck and God bless your family!

http://www.llli.org//NB/NBadoptive.html

Answer 14

I do not think that there are any non-prescription drugs that will induce lactation.  Lots of pumping will be required regardless of the drugs that she takes.  I do not know if the prescription drugs are safe or not for your wife or the baby.  I would research that carefully.

I urge you to also consider the emotional aspects of adoptive breastfeeding.  I used to think that adoptive breastfeeding was fine due the physical benefits of breast milk.  Recently, I have been doing more reading on the emotional aspects and feel that there are some compelling reasons not to try it.

Adoptive breastfeeding has a big "ick" factor for adoptees.  Please talk to your wife about how your child might feel when he/she is older and dealing with adoption angst that many adoptees feel.  As a teenager, your child may have an issue with it.

Also take into consideration that your baby will have to adjust to being taken away abruptly from his/her mother.  Asking the baby to nurse from a stranger may be too much to ask of an infant.  I strongly suggest that you read "The Primal Wound: Understanding the Adopted Child" by Nancy Verrier.  Please prepare yourself at for possibility of failure at breastfeeding your child.  Even highly motivated natural mothers fail at breastfeeding.

Finally, it is wise to discuss this with the first mother of the baby.  She may plan to breastfeed before she relinquishes and may have negative feelings about your wife breastfeeding.  If you are planning an open adoption, this issue might get you off to a very rocky start.

Answer 15

See a doctor, If your above board and on the level  theres no problem.

Answer 16

Sorry, but as an adoptee I find the very idea incredibly disturbing.

I attached to my adoptive parents just fine with formula.

Answer 17

Isn't part of the idea of breastfeeding to help the infant to attach? Beyond the nutrition (of which isn't any breastmilk better than formula?), isn't the closeness better for the child? I would think everyone would feel that the better attached the infant is to whomever is raising it, the better it is for the infant.  My wife nursed our bio children but our adopted child was older so she didn't nurse, but still we went out of our way to do attachment things like skin to skin contact, co sleeping, and so on. Are those gross, too? Are those like a dog marking territory on a tree (as someone said in a previous question about adoptive breastfeeding)?  We thought we were doing what was in the best interest of the child. I think breastfeeding might be, too. My oldest son (bio), by the way, hates conversations about being nursed, too-thinks it's gross. It may be all teenagers have this adversion.

Sunny, a poodle may indeed nurse from a lab and not become a lab, but the poodle will view the lab as its mother. Raising rabbits, I often gave very good nursers some of the babies from very large litters because otherwise they would die. These babies and mothers would act in the same manner as the natural babies and mothers. Of course, not all mother rabbits make good adoptive mothers just as not all mother rabbits make good mothers, period. Some kill their young or just won't care for them. These animal analgies really don't make much sense to me when it comes to human beings because I think our feelings are so much more profound. Also, I think one can affect attachment in a human. Otherwise there wouldn't be the detachment issues found in orphanages and as a result of multiple foster placements. Other adoptees here have noted that amothers should devote more time to adoptees, not be late for picking up the child, and do various other things to help the adoptee. Why is breastfeeding so outside of these parameters?

Answer 18

My understanding, your wife wants to take hormones to help with breastfeeding.  So she is going to be pumping herself up with drugs and then pass those on to the infant.  Good plan.

I did just fine with formula, as did my brother, as did his 3 children as did my daughter, after her adoption.

There are other non drug related ways to bond with an infant.

Answer 19

I was given a drug to help me lactate. It's called Domperidone, and although it's main use is for something entirely unrelated to breatsfeeding, milk production is a side effect. I am pretty sure, though, you will need to speak to your GP and get a prescription for it.

I'm sure I read something about people donating breastmilk, you might want to look into that also.

I wonder why people freak out about giving a baby someone elses breast milk - cows milk comes from cows producing milk for their offspring, and yet we drink it as humans!!

Answer 20

unfortunately, i don't know any over the counter non-RX things to start it, since it's usually the complex hormones of pregnancy; and a ton of hormones pills/shots (for non-pregnant women) that starts things flowing (no-pun intended).

on a personal note:  has she tried asking the birthmother to nurse the baby in the hospital and donate her milk? after all, this  the healthiest thing for the baby.  also, like grapesgum stated, many adoptees and b/n/f-moms are not comfortable with abreastfeeing.  if you are considering an open adoption, you might wish to seek the opinion of the birthmother.

i know you mean well, but many feel the idea of abreastfeeding fails to meet the baby's nutritional needs, yet is geared more towards the amoms desire to "breastfeed."

ETA:  LLL does advocate for donated milk, yet the milk is usually from a naturally lactating woman. also, the art of wet-nursing is not the same as an amom bfeeding. many have posted about this et nauseum, so i'll just post the link for those who need more clarity to peruse.  

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

h**l, i can take hormones to suppress menstruation and testosterone to grow facial hair.  my husband can take hormones to grow b*****s.  so does that make it 'normal' just because something is possible??? no.

regarding cow's milk.  the milk has be proven to have dietary benefit.  besides, we are drinking the substance that's expressed; "betsy" isn't trying to get our kids to nurse off her teat...  big difference.

my new year's resolution for this forum is that people stop with co-opting experiences of pregnant and nursing women to better authenticate adoption.  the two are different. why can't we just accept that???

BTW, i have extended nursed my two children and will nurse my third due next summer. so i am a big fan of breast feeding.  yet not this trend of hormone-induced suckling...

Answer 21

As mentioned above, contact the La Leche League, and ask around. I have a few friends who adopted and breastfed. If you are matched ahead of time you can start to pump, and it will increase but it is a slow process. I would be careful of any herbs as they can be passed through breastmilk.

Here are some website that may help:

http://www.fourfriends.com/abrw/

http://breast-feeding.adoption.com/

Answer 22

I have personally spoken on the phone with a representative of LeLecheLeague and while they do advocate that breastmilk is best for a baby, they also advocated for the natural mothers breastmilk. It creates a milk specifically designed for the child. Thats why the baby grows in to her body, their bodies throughout pregnancy communicate with each other in a way that tells the mothers body the exact make up of milk that she needs to be the PERFECT milk maker for her child.

I too have a problem with putting hormones into your body and delibrately giving them to your new infant. While I agree that breast milk is best, i don't advocate in giving the infant hormones at all.

Answer 23

I have a problem with deliberately using hormones t oproduce milk.

I spend extra money to make sure my children get milk without hormones in it.

The hormones women take to induce lactation are expressed in breastmilk and go right into baby.  It befuddles me that anyone would want to deliberately give their children artificial hormones at such and early stage of development.

Answer 24

why do you need to lactate when you want to adopt a newborn  the only way she will get milk if she is pregnent her self and drugs with a newborn mm