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omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

Hi new here

14	Wed, 12-21-2011 - 7:23pm

Hiya, My friends all call me mouse, I'm 45 with two boys. We're hoping to adopt twin babies...but I've been down that road before and will believe it when I see it...totally not bitter. :-). Dh insists on being optimistic... If we did get the babies...I would love to breast feed them...but seriously doubt that would happen. Still it's nice to dream :-) Anyway just thought I'd say hello here. Hugs, mouse

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witch_power

Community Leader

Registered: 10-01-2010

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Thu, 12-22-2011 - 11:37am

Welcome mouse - thanks for introducing yourself. The debate has been slow lately, so it's great to see some new faces!

How exciting to be possibly adopting twins! Will they be newborn or older babies? Does your agency even allow BFing for babies? I know that some are more lenient in this than others. I know that if I had adopted, I would have wanted to BF as well, but I don't think it is allowed here, until after the adoption is final - losing precious months!

I am mom to three grown sons, the first I combo-fed for 3 weeks, then switched to formula thinking I didn't have enough milk. The next two I BF thru many trials and tribulations. I remarried several years ago and we had hoped to have a child together, but after 6 losses, we have accepted it was not meant to be.

~*~ Catherine - CL of the Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate Board

My blogs: Frugal Freebies ~ MyFrugalBabyTips ~ PregnancyStoriesByAge ~ PregnancyOver44 ~ BabyAfter40 ~ Life Begins (Miscarriage) ~ Low Carbs / High Fat Recipes

omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Thu, 12-22-2011 - 6:57pm

Ya, it depends on the state. They're newborns :-) It's a huge and long story. The end result is no wait period once the judge signs off, which the attorney said will be tomorrow.

I'm reminding myself to breathe.

omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Thu, 12-22-2011 - 7:29pm

Oh so ya there would be no issue with bf...except I would have needed to start long before now. Given my personal history, I would hate it if I suddenly decreased...yanno?

witch_power

Community Leader

Registered: 10-01-2010

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Fri, 12-23-2011 - 3:22am

Tomorrow!? How thrilling!! :D

I know most recommend that you start months ago, but I do recall stories of adoptive moms that had no notice, and started pumping the day they received their babies. And even if you can't get enough milk in for a full supply, I have know moms who just use the breast to suckle, and don't worry about the supply.

I guess it depends on how easily the babies are willing to go back and forth from breast to bottle? It definitely would be a lots of work, on top of newborn twins! Have you checked out the adoptive nursing mom sites already? There is so much information out there now - and support if you need it.

BTW, did you ever have any testing to see why your milk supply dropped off? I recall there are a few medical conditions that might cause that (Hormonal disorders such as thyroid or pituitary imbalances or retained placental fragments can cause problems), and if it was a simple matter of taking some thyroid meds - it might mean the difference of frustration and success.

~*~ Catherine - CL of the Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate Board

My blogs: Frugal Freebies ~ MyFrugalBabyTips ~ PregnancyStoriesByAge ~ PregnancyOver44 ~ BabyAfter40 ~ Life Begins (Miscarriage) ~ Low Carbs / High Fat Recipes

teresagem

iVillage Member

Registered: 04-13-2008

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Fri, 12-23-2011 - 6:13am

Hi and welcome. Unlike most of the posters here, I am not from the US, but Austalia. I stumbled across this board a few years ago, and stayed.

omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Fri, 12-23-2011 - 2:16pm

witch_power wrote:
Tomorrow!? How thrilling!! :D

I know most recommend that you start months ago, but I do recall stories of adoptive moms that had no notice, and started pumping the day they received their babies. And even if you can't get enough milk in for a full supply, I have know moms who just use the breast to suckle, and don't worry about the supply.

I guess it depends on how easily the babies are willing to go back and forth from breast to bottle? It definitely would be a lots of work, on top of newborn twins! Have you checked out the adoptive nursing mom sites already? There is so much information out there now - and support if you need it.

BTW, did you ever have any testing to see why your milk supply dropped off? I recall there are a few medical conditions that might cause that (Hormonal disorders such as thyroid or pituitary imbalances or retained placental fragments can cause problems), and if it was a simple matter of taking some thyroid meds - it might mean the difference of frustration and success.

omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Fri, 12-23-2011 - 2:20pm

teresagem wrote:
Hi and welcome. Unlike most of the posters here, I am not from the US, but Austalia. I stumbled across this board a few years ago, and stayed.

witch_power

Community Leader

Registered: 10-01-2010

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Fri, 12-23-2011 - 10:13pm

I am so anxious to hear if you got the babies! I so hope that it works out for you!

I have heard that for some moms who did not have a good supply with their first or second babies, found that with each baby, their ability to BF and maintain a decent supply increased.

So perhaps it is possible that you could have more success this time, despite your previous experiences. Wouldn't it be something to be able to complete BF adopted twins, after your history!?

Yes, I imagine that using a SNS or Lact-Aid to provide expressed/donated breast milk or formula while you are feeding the babies at your breasts would help a great deal. I know my cousin used one of those back in the 70's when she relactated when her son was 6 months, after only BFing him for a couple of weeks after his birth. It wasn't easy, but it was something that was important to her.

~*~ Catherine - CL of the Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate Board

My blogs: Frugal Freebies ~ MyFrugalBabyTips ~ PregnancyStoriesByAge ~ PregnancyOver44 ~ BabyAfter40 ~ Life Begins (Miscarriage) ~ Low Carbs / High Fat Recipes

omegamouse

iVillage Member

Registered: 12-20-2011

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Sun, 12-25-2011 - 5:41pm

Yep they're here. Got the lact aid, and using it practically round the clock. They're super cute. Super bad timing tho, what with the holidays, packed stores and being out of everything! Lol. We did borrow some infant car seats. Got tons of cloth diapers too, so we're washing them.

Got a huge super long list of stuff to buy!!

Both the babies have a pretty good latch, so no problems. Been doing this it seems every hour so round the clock. Ha!

witch_power

Community Leader

Registered: 10-01-2010

In reply to: omegamouse

Re: Hi new here

Mon, 12-26-2011 - 10:24am

Congratulations!!!! Oh, how exciting!

And yes, so much to do at such a busy time of the year!

Sounds like the breastfeeding is going well, and they are accepting it - what a wonderful start! Those early weeks it does feel like you are nursing round the clock - and you have double that. I hope you are able to get some rest and help with everything else, so you can just focus on those beautiful babies.

I am sure that you have probably read most of these - but I will include what I found, just in case:

http://breast-feeding.adoption.com/

http://www.adopting.org/adoptions/adoptive-breastfeeding.html

http://www.adopting.org/adoptions/adoptive-breastfeeding-2.html

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/adopt/index.html

http://www.fourfriends.com/abrw/

http://www.llli.org/nb/nbadoptive.html

http://www.breastfeeding-problems.com/adoptive-breastfeeding.html