Hi Claudia,
Hard to know exactly what the situation is here because so much could depend
on how the woman expressed herself, how the Dr interpreted it and then how
he communicated his interpretation to you. I'd want to explore this further
before thinking that I knew what the woman's intentions were because of what
I have seen and heard from women who wish to breastfeed their adopted
children. There are a few possibilities

This woman could be overcompensation for the lack of support that she has
had for wanting to breastfeed her adopted child. We know that your ordinary
everyday woman needs support to breastfeed when she has given birth to her
baby and that this can be thin on the ground. Picture how thin on the ground
it can be for a woman who wishes to breastfeed a young adopted baby (we
don't have newborn adoption in Australia but I know it exists elsewhere), a
bit thinner? Then picture how much support there might be for a woman who
wishes to breastfeed an 'older' adopted child? This woman may feel she needs
to be pretty assertive in getting what she needs from this Dr (I'm presuming
a script) because she expects him to be unsupportive. Many adoptive mothers
report insupportive HCP inclu IBCLCs

This Dr could think that this woman is crazy! She may have expressed that
she is determined to breastfeed (and given the above described lack of
support that she is likely to get she needs to be determined). You may be
hearing the Dr wanting confirmation that this woman is crazy for attempting
to breastfeed her adopted child.

Perhaps it is a combination of the two. Dr unsupportive, mother responding
to his unsupportiveness by being more dogmatic than she would be otherwise.
If he was unsupportive she would not be likely to express her doubts that
breastfeeding will work with her new child.

On whether this woman will be able to force her child to breastfeed. I can't
see that that would work at all!! I have never heard of anyone being able to
do that. How would you do it anyway? This mum needs support to attempt
something that is culturally unacceptable but potentially of great benefit
to herself and her child.
You should also mention to the Dr that it is not uncommon for adopted
children to initiate breastfeeding with their adopted mother. Many adoptive
mothers have been *very* surprised by this happening.

Karleen Gribble
Australia
Who would not even speak out loud her intention to try adoptive
breastfeeding but then I didn't need to order drugs from a Dr

  He is not against the child nursing if it
> wanted to but was more concerned about the mother's attitude that the
child
> HAD to.  I know that initiating breastfeeding in an older adoptive child
in
> not unheard of but would like to know others opinions.  Claudia Globerger
> RN/IBCLC
>

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