Julie Brill mentioned a question from a woman who wished to consider
breastfeeding an adopted child after having breastfeeding one child and
then having both ovaries removed.

As some of you remember, I have asked for help regarding a similar case.
My paient (client, friend) had both her ovaries removed at 24 weeks in
her current pregnancy, after nursing her first child successfully. I have
done the most extensive research I could think of to find out what to
expect and how to help her.  This is a summary of what I have found. I
would love to hear from anyone with experience in this area.

What you need to breastfeed (in theory) is a pituitary, a breast
(prepared approrpiately in adolescence and a pregnancy) and a baby.

I have not been successful in my search for actual experience. Med line
search from the library did not reveal journal articles in the world medical
 litterature since 1968 regarding lactation without functioning ovaries
in humans. Solicitation of advice at LLLI conference for physicians turned up
nobody with experience with a similar case.  Queries to this list and to the
midwifery list likewise--lots of theory (helpful but not what I needed)
but no experience.  Things I have found that reassure me:
Both Ruth Lawrence and Ed Newton tell me to expect successful lactation
and to supplement estrogen soon after birth (like 2 weeks)
Veterenary Journal (AMVA?) Reference relating successful lactation in
ovario-hysterctomized (spayed) cats (we are all mammals, right?)
Informal reference to postmenopausal women being wet nurses.
Undocumented references to successful lactation in women who were
postmenopausal and conceived with donor oocytes (eggs).  I heard this
third hand and haven't been able to confirm this.
As a family physician and a midwife, I believe in the inherent power in
women to bring forth and nourish life, and so I am having positive
thoughts about her success.  My patient is 39 weeks now and I am looking
forward to this precious baby--should be a great birth at home in a farm
house surrounded by the organic soybeans they grow.  Ill be assisted by
5-year old Peyton who knows his father helped his mother and I to bring him
into the world and expects to be given a chance to show me how it is done.

I will let you all know how things work out and I plan to publish this
experience.  If anyone has cases that are similar, please let me know--we
could do a case series.  This is an oversight in the medical literature
and everyone I have consulted has asked me for follow up.  So I really
want to put this information (when I have it) in the public domain.

Elizabeth A. Peyton, MD, physician midwife, [log in to unmask]