The baby may suck at the breast now, but will he do it in a week, in
two weeks?  Babies are not stupid, and babies respond to milk flow.
If the baby gets good flow from a bottle, and little from the breast,
he will figure that one out pretty quickly.

I approach the mothers with breast reduction as if they were mothers
interested in nursing an adopted baby.  I tell them they *might*
produce all the milk the baby needs, but it's unlikely.  So, does that
mean that breastfeeding is not worth it?  If the baby gets only a
little milk, is no breastmilk better than some?  In fact, we talk
about how breastfeeding is more than breastmilk, and I offer *my* view
that breastfeeding with formula is better for mother and baby than
bottle feeding breastmilk exclusively.  Not everyone goes for this,
but I think some mothers do.  Of course, if they are asking me, they
are usually fairly motivated.

You can check the handout I use on nursing adopted babies at:


http://www.erols.com/cindyrn/drjack0.htm

or

http://www.bflrc.com/jn_arts.htm

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC