Induced lactation for my adopted son.

I learned I was going to be a 3rd time mama about 3 weeks before my son was to be born via C-section from his biological mother. The week before his birth I began to pump about 6 times a day. Levi's birthday finally came and we were more than delighted to be holding our new son. I continued to pump and now 8 times a day and did skin to skin with him. I began to try to get him to latch but being born at 37 weeks and me not having any colostrum he wasn't interested and was extremely sleepy.

For the next 6 weeks I pumped, struggled with using a supplemental nursing system and trying to get him to latch. I was also taking herbs to support my lactation...at this point I hardly could squeeze out a drop. I was tired and feeling helpless. I wanted to give my adopted son everything his sister's received as infants, that being my breast milk.

We received almost enough breast milk from donors to give him exclusively breast milk so I continued to pump and try latching over and over.We are now at 6 weeks and I am pumping out a teaspoon of breast milk from each breast. I am taking a medication to induce lactation and Levi has begun to latch and suckle at my breasts. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks as my son took his first sucks of milk my body is making for him. I am proud to say I am nursing my adopted son because he deserves the best!

LeeAnn Tuttle Graff | @happymamabirth

Mom, wife, doula, homeschool