Since things have been so slow here...

I thought I would post my email address, in case anyone comes and wants to communicate with someone who is experienced with breastfeeding an adopted baby. I am an adoptive mother of six children. I only nursed my first two, born in 1983 and 1986, for a short time, mainly for bonding and comfort, because I lacked the information and support I needed. With my third, I knew a little more about breastfeeding in general and had the added incentive of my son having nearly died during his birth, and being high risk for brain damage. I wanted to do the best I could for him and I believe breastfeeding, both the act of nurturing at the breast and breast milk, offers special benefits, especially for a baby who has special needs. He nursed until he self-weaned, when he was no longer an infant. He is now a young father expecting his second child in June. My fourth child had very serious medical and psychological problems and was six months old when I got her. We were told that there was no way she would grow up normally. Getting her started nursing was a challenge that required a lot of love and patience, but she learned and nursed for a little over a year. My fifth and sixth children were both healthy newborns, and both nursed until they were toddlers. So, since it has been more than a month since anyone else has posted here, if anyone needs information right away and/or has specific questions, please feel free to email me at noelani54@hotmail.com. Be sure to write something in the subject line like "BREASTFEEDING ADOPTED BABIES". I get so much junk email that sometimes I don't pick out the few important things I get. If you don't hear back from me within a couple days, please try again. There are things I have written in several places, on the internet. Most of it I would not change, but I need to get a hold of the owners of the sites that posted them so that I can do some updating, primarily on the topic of using medications and pumping in advance. I hope that anyone who has an interest in breastfeeding an adopted baby will do it. It is a wonderful and very gratifying experience! Aloha, Darillyn (Noelani)