Yes Darillyn!!!!! We need to talk about this. That the most important
preparation for adoptive breastfeeding is knowledge and a support network
(and if you don't have that to start with  you can build it over time).
Anything else might be helpful but is not essential.

Also if children reject breastfeeding initially this does not mean that it
is not right to continue to persist. I guess many (most?) of you have read
the case in Breastfeeding and Human Lactation describing a newly adopted
child reacting in horror when her mother offers the breast. THIS IS NORMAL
AD DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE CHILD WILL NOT EVETUALLY BREASTFEED AND BENEFIT
GREATLY FROM IT <sigh> there! I feel better now! The benefits of
breastfeeding a child who initially rejects are may even be greater than for
those children who take to breastfeeding quickly because rejection of
breastfeeding (ie rejection of intimacy) can be an indication of emotional
hurt. I've been finalising my talk for ILCA today. I read my notes and think
"Who is going to believe that breastfeeding can make such a huge difference
in adopted children" but when I talk to mothers and they keep saying the
same things, and they are the changes Darillyn and I saw in our children I
know that it is true. Breastfeeding can be profoundly healing.

If we talk about this more mothers will breastfeed. I know that I only
started out thinking about breastfeeding my daughter because I had read
Darillyn's story or breastfeeding Julia. You don't attempt something you
think isn't possible or worthwhile.

Karleen Gribble
Australia
(Who knows that people are questioning her sex life when she breastfeeds her
black haired brown eyed Chinese daughter when her blond haired blue eyed bio
son is around LOL!)


> This is also another example of how important it is to get the word =
> around that adoptive mothers can start nursing at any time, and don't =
> have to be able to make preparations in advance.


 However, Julia, who finally came home at =
> six and half months old, with many health and emotional problems, not =
> only reacted VERY badly to my first attempts to nurse her, but would not =
> even let me hold her facing me.  I did finally figure out how to get her =
> to accept the breast, but it took over five months of patience and =
> creativity.  Had I not already had nearly three years total experience =
> nursing my first three, by this time, I don't think there would have =
> been a prayer for me be able to figure out what to do.  Also, were it =
> not for my experience nursing Thomas for over two years by the time =
> Julia joined the family, I doubt that I would have had enough =
> understanding for the benefits of toddler nursing, to keep me trying to =
> establish a nursing relationship with a child who was approaching her =
> first birthday.

>
> You ladies who have the opportunity to help adoptive moms establish a =
> breastfeeding relationship are truly contributing to making the world a =
> better place!
>

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