title: The intricacies of induced lactation for same-sex mothers of an adopted child.
abstract: The definition of a modern family is changing. In this case study, we describe the breastfeeding experience of a child receiving human milk from all 3 of his mothers: his 2 adoptive mothers, who induced lactation to nurse him, and his birth mother, who shared in his early feeding during the open adoption process and continued to pump and send milk to him for several months. We review the lactation protocol used by his adoptive mothers and the unique difficulties inherent in this multi-mother family dynamic. Both adoptive mothers successfully induced moderate milk production using a combination of hormonal birth control, domperidone, herbal supplements, and a schedule of breast pumping. However, because of the increased complexity of the immediate postpartum period and concerns with defining parental roles in a same-sex marriage, maintenance of milk production was difficult.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Birmingham, AL, USA erica.wilson@mahec.net.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Maryanne Tigchelaar
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fogleman
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Child Health, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA Mother and Infant Lactation Care at the Women's Birth and Wellness Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chetwynd
mesh_terms: D000300:Adoption; D000328:Adult; D061186:Breast Milk Expression; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D056669:Galactogogues / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011295:Prenatal Care; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities
chemical_list: D056669:Galactogogues
keywords: adoption; breastfeeding; induced lactation; lesbian