Male Wet Nurse Wanted Part 2

You have decided that developing breasts and the possible social fall out is worth the opportunity to experience the bonds of breast-feeding your adoptive or surrogate baby. Last week we talked about the socio-physiological issues involved with male breast-feeding. Now we will talk technique.

It is important to remember that you need the assistance of a medical doctor and a lactation counselor. While this article will tell you the protocol to bring milk to your breasts for feeding, it is not something that you should tackle alone. You and your baby deserve the best and the best is having support and help from people experienced in adoptive lactation.

Now on to the nuts and bolts! First of all you need to assemble the equipment. Yup! It isn’t just you, your breasts and your baby! In order to start your milk flowing you need to pump it with a breast pump. This is a small pump that fits over the breast and simulates a baby’s sucking action. The pumping action will help to stimulate your milk production.

The best pump to use a hospital grade pump with a double pumping kit. The double pumping action helps to release the supply of prolactin, the hormone that actually starts up your milk flow. Pumps can be rented or purchased. For a comparison of hospital grade pumps, check out http://marimar_1.tripod.com/bpump_compar...

Pumping instructions: Do a nice gentle and firm breast massage before each pumping. You may want to use a light moisturizing cream on the breast. On initial pumping sessions, you may want to use olive oil or lanolin on the nipples to prevent friction rubs. Pregnancy builds keratin that the adoptive parent may not have built up on her nipples and areolas. There is a controversy on when to start pumping. However, Dr. Jack Newman, one of the foremost experts on lactation recommends, “start pumping as soon as the baby is in sight, even if this means you will be pumping for 4 months. You do not have to pump frequently on a schedule. Do what is possible. If twice a day is possible at first, do twice a day. If once a day during the week, but 6 times during the weekend can be done, fine.” From Handout #23 Breastfeeding You’re Adopted Baby. January 1998 Written by Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC If you prefer a more structured pumping schedule, Mechell Turner, M.ED. IBCLC, CCE offers up this protocol to start lactation

Go To Page: 1 2 3

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic