Relactation, whether for a bio child or an adopted child is often seen as
something that is very complicated and difficult to do, something that
mothers would not be interested in. Trouble is, most mothers don't know that
it's a possibility and if they are not told about it by those who know they
certainly cannot succeed at it. I sometimes feel like there is a certain
level of patronisation that goes along with this (ie don't tell women about
it because they won't succeed at it anyway and that will make them feel bad
and we want to protect them from feeling bad).

It's also not true that relactation need be complicated (in fact it is
really very simple) and if the child is willing to suckle it need not be
physically difficult (as Darillyn mentioned). In places where women are
given the opportunity (ie told about it!) and support relactation works very
well. There's a Dr in India (CR Banapurmath) who has an outpatients clinic
where relactation is one of the things he encourages. There was a paper
published earlier this year in Indian Pediatrics where 1000 of these cases
are presented. They see relactation work, they have confidence in the
flexibility of lactation and think it is worth  investing time in (for them
and the mothers).

I've got some quotes below (which refer specifically to adoptive bf...I've
posted them to Lactnet before) that illustrate how differently
relactation/nduced lactation is viewed in the West vs developing countries.

"It is possible to breastfeed an adopted baby. Though it is unlikely you
will be able to stimulate your supply enough to fully breastfeed" (Renfrew
et al 1990).
"Mothers who have breastfed their adopted babies all agree that it seemed
the natural thing to do. However, only in rare cases can an adopted baby be
fully breastfed without supplementation" (NMAA 1998).

Scientific papers on adoptive breastfeeding have been followed by letters to
the editor warning that the hopes of adoptive parents should not be raised.

"If (the mother) really wants to try (adoptive nursing) she should be told
how difficult it will probably be" (Carey 1981).

Whereas, for those who have worked in developing countries adoptive
breastfeeding is viewed as more easily achieved.
"Mothers and health workers should be encouraged to attempt relactation and
gain a full appreciation of the simplicity and ease with which this process
can be accomplished" (Brown 1977).
"In my experience.(inducing lactation) worked well in all cases in which the
adoptive mother was motivated and received the necessary support from her
family" (Kramer 1995).

It is striking that relactation/induced lactation is viewed as difficult and
unlikely to succeed in the West but simple, easy and likely to be successful
in dev countries.

Since the possibility of relactation is not known by most mothers, since
there is no way of telling which mother might decide that she would like to
relactate surely women deserve enough information to make informed choices
about whether they might want to relactate or not and not for their health
care provider to make the decision for them. And it's good to talk about
relactation anyway because I've found that when mothers find out that women
who have previously weaned or even those who have never given birth can
breastfeed they are incredibly encouraged and express "Well if she can do
*that* surely I can breastfeed"


Karleen Gribble
Australia

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