Adoptive nursing, part 2
During our baby care class, the instructor (a pediatric nurse) encouraged the class to consider adoptive nursing. Y'all know it was just the opening I needed to email Ms. Stork about the prospect of adoptive breastfeeding!
Ms. Stork emailed a couple of people in the central office to inquire about it, and today we got an answer: The Department gives a thumbs-up to adoptive breastfeeding as long as: 1. the baby's pediatrician okays it; and 2. the preadoptive mom doesn't have a disease or take medication that can be passed to the baby via breastmilk. Basically, the Department just needs a doctor's note to that effect. Wild, huh? This state is HELLA hippie/crunchy! I thought for sure they'd be all, "WHAT THE FUCK?!?!" but instead they're all, "Sure, that's been done before." Even better, Ms. Stork is very supportive.
So now the big questions: To attempt to induce lactation, or not? And if so, how druggy am I willing to go? I'm down with the oatmeal and fenugreek and I'll even try some of that nasty Mother's Tea, but I'm a little sketched out about taking birth control pills or domperidone for the sole purpose of inducing lactation for a child who might be 2 years old. Plus, pumping will take up all my free time; it'll be my new hobby (though if we do get matched with an infant, I'm planning to go the Round is Funny route and ask my doc to prescribe an electric pump for me--insurance will pay 80%! Ms. RiF is wicked smart). Hmm, lots to think about.
Has anyone actually read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding? If so, would you recommend it?
If you have any advice for me about inducing lactation, I'm all ears.
Ms. Stork emailed a couple of people in the central office to inquire about it, and today we got an answer: The Department gives a thumbs-up to adoptive breastfeeding as long as: 1. the baby's pediatrician okays it; and 2. the preadoptive mom doesn't have a disease or take medication that can be passed to the baby via breastmilk. Basically, the Department just needs a doctor's note to that effect. Wild, huh? This state is HELLA hippie/crunchy! I thought for sure they'd be all, "WHAT THE FUCK?!?!" but instead they're all, "Sure, that's been done before." Even better, Ms. Stork is very supportive.
So now the big questions: To attempt to induce lactation, or not? And if so, how druggy am I willing to go? I'm down with the oatmeal and fenugreek and I'll even try some of that nasty Mother's Tea, but I'm a little sketched out about taking birth control pills or domperidone for the sole purpose of inducing lactation for a child who might be 2 years old. Plus, pumping will take up all my free time; it'll be my new hobby (though if we do get matched with an infant, I'm planning to go the Round is Funny route and ask my doc to prescribe an electric pump for me--insurance will pay 80%! Ms. RiF is wicked smart). Hmm, lots to think about.
Has anyone actually read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding? If so, would you recommend it?
If you have any advice for me about inducing lactation, I'm all ears.
posted by Clementine at 1:43 PM
5 Comments:
Wow. I can't believe DSS is so supportive. That's great news!
yeah, that's really cool about DSS. rock on.
I suggest you contact La Leche League. They have tons of resources on adoptive nursing and can put you in touch with other mothers who have done it. Best of luck to you.
Thanks y'all. And Anon, thankd for the LLL tip! My local chapter is very supportive.
The Mothering.com boards has an adoptive parent forum with all kinds of info.
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