Oooh when you get there, let me know how the induced lactation goes. I don't know anyone that's done it.

i know someone from breastfeeding.com who had actually lost her supply and started forumla feeding then brought back her supply(from nothing) it took like 5 months of hard work and motivation and tons of pumping ( i hate pumping).

You know the 'man' in America who had a baby, his wife induced lactation.

JULIET'S NURSE IN 'ROMEO AND JULIET', YO! OBVIOUSLY FICTION, BUT BASED ON REALITY - IT WAS COMMON, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN CHILDREN HAD SUCKLING NURSES.

Back then everyone aristocratic had wet nurses, but I thought they were more usually women who either nursed alongside an existing baby of similar age OR who had lost a baby, bearing in mind the infant mortality rate back then.
Well paid job though

YES, YO. A LOT OF THEM HAD LOST A BABY. BUT IT IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT EVER HAVING HAD A BABY - IF A WOMAN IS TAKING THE MOTHER ROLE TO A BABY WHOM SHE HASN'T GIVEN BIRTH TO. LIKE, IT WAS NOT SEEN AS WEIRD OR IMPOSSIBLE BACK IN THE DAY. SUPPOSEDLY LACTATION CAN COME FROM ESTABLISHING A BOND WITH THE BABY, POPPING HIM ON YOUR NIPPLE AND GETTING HIM TO SUCKLE. IT TAKES TIME AT FIRST, BUT A SUCKLING BABY IS APPARENTLY THE BEST WAY TO INDUCE LACTATION.

Babies are born with enough extra fat (stored on their back) to keep them alive without milk for 10 days. Maybe that's why!

How do you induce lactation?

Basically you take all the herbs and suck that a mother who was trying to increase her supply would take and pump as often as possible. Once the baby is born or in your care then you have the child nurse as much as possible even if they are only getting a few ounces of milk.
There are also feeding systems you can use as a way to supplement until you have a full supply.

Wow. Does this work if you've never been pregnant/given birth to a child?

It does. I know a few mama's who did it for their adopted children.

I did try to breastfed my daughter. Eventually there was a latching on issure which I didn't mind so much because I just pumped all of the time and gave it to her in the bottle. Then there was the issue that regardless of how often I pumped I just kept producing less and less which eventually led to me not even getting an ounce or half of an ounce.

I didn't notice any. I knew it was supposed to help them healthwise and everything, but I don't know. I did it because I wanted to and it was so much cheaper and easier than formula.

I wasn't tired and nothing bothered me about breastfeeding. I did get upset when I dried up. I didn't experience the sore boobs/engorgement at alleven when I stopped pumping (because of the lack of production) so I just went to formula. I figured it wasn't meant to be and she got the most important part of it at the very beginning, even though it is all really important.

Marissa is a healthy baby though and above average in everything (height, etc.)

1. I did, but only for 2 and a half weeks

2. advantages - free, healthier for baby, helps you lose weight, easier when your going out and taking bubs
disadvantages - easier to go out and leave bubs with a babysitter, pumping was very painful for me

3. Started breastfeeding but stopped because my milk supply was low (tried pumping and feeding more but it never improved, my daughter is tongue tied and had problems latching, i didnt have the right nipples and she couldnt latch onto a nipple shield) and she wasnt gaining enough weight with breastmilk
Felt very depressed because the breastfeeding nazi midwifes and lactation consultants made me feel bad constantly for not being a pro breastfeeding mum straight away, switched to formula and my daughter hasnt had any problems

1. Have you or would you breastfeed your own baby? Or, if you're a bloke, would you want your partner to breastfeed your child? I did breast feed for i think 2 months and my milk dried up like out of no where.. i was sad but atleast my daughter got some.

2. What do you percieve to be the advantages or disadvantages? advantages are they hardly get sick, you get healtier weight wise. disadvantage is once they suck on a bottle 1 or 2 times they take longer learning to latch to the nipple and its hard and frustrating.

3. Did you start off breastfeeding and then get put off by the sleepless nights/sore boobs/engorgement and stop? If so, did you wish you hadn't? I thought about it but my babys health came first... I liked having her enjoy eating lol. it was like bonding between us... i was very upset when i learned id dryed up.

1. Have you or would you breastfeed your own baby?
I breastfed Alexis exclusively for 4 weeks, supplement fed her for a week and then she went to formula completely at just over 5 weeks old.

2. What do you percieve to be the advantages or disadvantages?
Advantages - free food for bubba, none of the fuss with cleaning and making bottles, no having to look for a microwave or boiling water when out, healthier for bub
Disadvantages - for me personally, I have flat nipples and Alexis being as small as she was had a small mouth had problems latching. We had to teach her to suck pretty much... but for the first 3 days she didn't latch at all and I was hand expressing the collustrum in to a syringe to feed her with that. Wasn't pleasant. I also had to use a nipple shield, and they are an absolute pain in the ass.

3. Did you start off breastfeeding and then get put off by the sleepless nights/sore boobs/engorgement and stop? If so, did you wish you hadn't?
Yes, started off breastfeeding and I did everything that I could to continue. I used the nipple shield for 4 weeks, as well as pumping... Alexis jurst wasn't getting enough and she continued having problems latching (she wouldn't latch on without it either, and she had issues latching on to the shield)... I then started to supplement feed her because she was hungry and I wasn't producing enough milk and after 2 days of the use of the bottle she decided that the nipple shield was too much work and refused the boob altogether. So I pumped and I started getting less and less, till I ended up getting nothing. It took just over a week for that to happen. I can't say I wish I didn't. Neither of us liked breastfeeding... it made her fussy and I know she didn't get enough and we'd both get agitated. In the end, my body and her needs made the decision for us... there wasn't anything else I could do about it. I was incredibly upset because I wanted to exclusively breastfeed, but I came to the realisation that I did all I could and it is better to give her formula than her have nothing at all.

I had a similar experience with my first. I wanted to feed her and I tried but in the end she needed food and as you say formula is better than nothing.
The sad part is I enjoyed it and I was good at it. It was easier than expected. But I was under a lot of stress at the time and my milk just dried up on me.

1. I don't have children yet, but I definitely intend to try breastfeeding when I do have a baby.

2. So many health advantages, as I posted further up the thread. Reduced risk of SIDS, asthma, diabetes, allergies, infections. Also, cheaper and more convenient, or so I'm told!

3. N/A

I think it's obvious that 'breast is best', but I do think it's a fact that some mothers just find it too hard, for a variety of reasons. And if they've tried (with the appropriate support e.g. from midwives etc) and found they're unable to do it without causing a whole lot of stress and upset for mother and baby, I don't think they should be condemned for opting for formula instead. It's harder (and more painful) for some women than others.

With my first son I breast fed for 8 days. I'm hoping to breastfeed exclusively for at least 4 months second time around.

There are so many advantages. For me it's the fact that it's free (I'm a tight arse with money sometimes), on tap (I'm a lazy sod and can't be arsed getting out of bed at night if I don't have to), healthiest choice for baba (can't argue with that one), helps banish the mummy tummy and helps with the bonding process.

I gave up last time due to extreme pain in one breast (still can't figure out what that was), a general lack of support from those nearest and dearest to me (my mum is very pro-formula) and in my deranged, sleep-deprived state I was easily led to believe that with formula would come a better nights sleep. Such rubbish! The reason I slept so poorly with my first son is because I hadn't got a clue what I was doing and had no idea about sleep routines... it had nothing to do with what he was eating after all.

i breastfed both of my daughters for over a year...i loved it. it never crossed my mind to formula feed. i was in a senior in high school when i was pregnant with my first so i got alot of education on breastfeeding but knew before all the classes that i was going to do it. and as for my man having ANY say in weather or not i breastfed was not an option either lol. in my opinion it was my body my choice and i could care less what he thought lol. it was great that he didnt disagree, he was 100% for it and helped so much when i got so sore from feeding all the time. *which sore boobs doesnt mean you are doing it wrong!* but i got sore with both kids and they make a cream that you can put on your nipples that is safe for the baby to ingest, it will help with cracked nipples, sore nipples or bleeding nipples. i have to say that breastfeeding was a constant thing, and if you cant handle the stares you will get and the baby constantly on you, or your boobs possibly leaking 24/7 then its not for you. but its the best thing for you and your baby

I had horribly sore nipples for a week and used lansinoh cream. I RECOMMEND lansinoh cream, it got rid of it within days.

me too! that was the godsend of creams lol

You know what I found the hardest about breastfeeding? The absolute shit I was given for stopping. Before people ask why, before people find out ANYTHING about why my daughter is now formula fed, they JUDGE. They have NO idea about anything I went through, yet they judge and make me feel like absolute shit - as if I don't feel that enough WITHOUT their judgement. There is SO MUCH PRESSURE to breastfeed that when there are issues that arise and it just doesn't happen, it just adds to it. I was made to feel like total crap, and like I was a total failure, no matter how hard I tried. It upset me, and in turn it upset my daughter.

Awh Genes, you tried your hardest && everyone knows you did, it makes me sad that people gave you a hard time for stopping. It's not like you just gave up without effort, you're doing whats best for lexi , and that's formula. Sometimes, sadly, it's just not meant to happen or work out.... but you tried and had a really hard time && there's no need being upset, or having bubs upset.....Putting her on formula was the right thing to do.

Well, my faves here know I did!

But it saddens me that this occurs all the time. When I was in hospital after having Lexi, there were 4 of us in the room. 3 breast feeding mothers, and 1 formula feeding (by choice). Now irrespective of the fact it was her choice, they treated her different. It was sad! Even before asking if it was her choice, or whether there was reasoning behind it... they were judging her. The tone would change in the way the would speak to her. Then when they turned to see one of us breastfeeding mothers after seeing her, they were back to being happy and nice and polite because we were in the 'club' of 'wonderful mothers' because we breast fed.

That makes me so sad. Not breast feeding doesn't make you a bad mother! Jesus think of all the actual bad mothers out there.

But this is what gets me. In the UK there is a huge pro-breast feeding lobby and if it turns out I can't breast feed, I don't want to be made to feel inadequate and shit because of it.

There needs to be more of an emphasis on the choice. Yes, highlight the benefits of breast feeding, but don't make bottle feeding mothers ostracised.

Right, rant over ;)