OT - Women can lactate anytime (without pregnancy and post-menopausally too)

[Guest guest]

I am so surprised to find out that women can lactate. Even without any pregnancy, e.g., women who adopt can lactate.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactation#Lactation_without_pregnancy.2C_Induced_lactation.2C_Relactation"Lactation without pregnancy, Induced lactation, RelactationMilk production can be "artificially" and intentionally obtained in the absence of pregnancy in the woman. It is not necessary that the woman has ever been pregnant, and she can be well in her post-menopausal period. Women who have never been pregnant are sometimes able to induce enough lactation to breastfeed. This is called "induced lactation". Women who have breastfed before can re-start. This is called "relactation". This is how some adoptive mothers, usually beginning with a supplemental nursing system or some other form of supplementation, can breastfeed. There is thought to be little or no difference in milk composition whether lactation is artificially induced or a result of pregnancy.[9][10]"I remember wishing I had not stopped breast-feeding not long after my milk had stopped. I had no idea at all I could have restarted and quite easily too (well maybe with a few weeks).  I think this could be useful information for some people.  I read adopting mothers can usually produce 50-70% of milk needed (maybe more).  I also read the first milk produced this way isn't colostrum - but still it amazes me.  I thought people had to go to hospital milk banks etc. Best wishes, Sandy

[Guest guest]

When my sister was on the adoption list in South Africa, they were told about this and that was over 20 years ago... shame they have not been as good at communicating it here.

 

T

On Fri, Jun 4, 2010 at 11:34 AM, Sandy and Tim <sandyandtim@...> wrote:

 

I am so surprised to find out that women can lactate. Even without any pregnancy, e.g., women who adopt can lactate.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactation#Lactation_without_pregnancy.2C_Induced_lactation.2C_Relactation

" Lactation without pregnancy, Induced lactation, RelactationMilk production can be " artificially " and intentionally obtained in the absence of pregnancy in the woman. It is not necessary that the woman has ever been pregnant, and she can be well in her post-menopausal period. Women who have never been pregnant are sometimes able to induce enough lactation to breastfeed. This is called " induced lactation " . Women who have breastfed before can re-start. This is called " relactation " . This is how some adoptive mothers, usually beginning with a supplemental nursing system or some other form of supplementation, can breastfeed. There is thought to be little or no difference in milk composition whether lactation is artificially induced or a result of pregnancy.[9][10] " I remember wishing I had not stopped breast-feeding not long after my milk had stopped. I had no idea at all I could have restarted and quite easily too (well maybe with a few weeks).  I think this could be useful information for some people.  I read adopting mothers can usually produce 50-70% of milk needed (maybe more).  I also read the first milk produced this way isn't colostrum - but still it amazes me.  I thought people had to go to hospital milk banks etc. 

Best wishes, Sandy

[Guest guest]

Erm, I've even heard that chaps can do it (rarely).

Margaret

>

> I am so surprised to find out that women can lactate. Even without any

> pregnancy, e.g., women who adopt can lactate.  

>

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactation#Lactation_without_pregnancy.2C_In\

> duced_lactation.2C_Relactation

>

> " Lactation without pregnancy, Induced lactation, Relactation

>

> Milk production can be " artificially " and intentionally obtained in the

> absence of pregnancy in the woman. It is not necessary that the woman

> has ever been pregnant, and she can be well in her post-menopausal

> period. Women who have never been pregnant are sometimes able to induce

> enough lactation to breastfeed. This is called " induced lactation " .

> Women who have breastfed before can re-start. This is called

> " relactation " . This is how some adoptive mothers, usually beginning with

> a supplemental nursing system or some other form of supplementation, can

> breastfeed. There is thought to be little or no difference in milk

> composition whether lactation is artificially induced or a result of

> pregnancy.[9][10] "

> I remember wishing I had not stopped breast-feeding not long after my

> milk had stopped. I had no idea at all I could have restarted and quite

> easily too (well maybe with a few weeks).  I think this could be

> useful information for some people.  I read adopting mothers can

> usually produce 50-70% of milk needed (maybe more).  I also read the

> first milk produced this way isn't colostrum - but still it amazes me.

>  I thought people had to go to hospital milk banks etc. 

>

>

> Best wishes, Sandy

>

[Guest guest]

Wow Margaret I didn't know that either. I was just reading about it. How

amazing - how good for survival.

>

>

> Erm, I've even heard that chaps can do it (rarely).

> Margaret

>

[Guest guest]

so did I. hmmmm ....

Sandy and Tim wrote:

>

> Hi Jane,

>

> Wow - How great and natural. I'm realising more and more that I knew

> nothing of any use before :-)

> I guess it never happened to me because I was hypothyroid and very

> hypo during and after pregnancy (explains why I had trouble producing

> breast milk and we had to supplement a lot with formula.)

> Sandyxx

>

>