Can a Mother Breastfeed a Surrogacy-born Child?

Having a child and enjoying motherhood is a blissful experience with great responsibility. In surrogacy, an intended mother may deprive of the special moments of pregnancy duration. But with the advancement of medical science, she now can enjoy motherhood by breastfeeding her child. SCI IVF Hospital – the best infertility clinic in Delhi is equipped with high-class medical equipment and can smoother your journey.

 

Breastfeeding is not just an emotional connection with the baby; rather it has various health benefits. Everyone is aware of the advantages of breast milk to a newborn baby. Breast milk provides all required nutrition to build immunity and protection from diseases. A surrogate mother may not breastfeed the child as she may be living in a different city. She is not compelled to provide breast milk. But now, for an intended mother, breastfeeding a surrogate-born baby is possible through induced lactation.

 

Induced lactation is a pre-planned the process that requires a lot of screening and support. If an intended mother is willing to breastfeed the baby, she must consult her doctor even before the surrogacy process starts. The process requires some advanced preparation and medicine induction at the right time. Mother must also be physically and mentally prepared for the process.

 

Induced Lactation Process

Induced Lactation is a process to stimulate the milk-producing organs to release milk-producing hormones. Milk production depends on various physical and hormonal changes throughout pregnancy. The estrogen and progesterone levels increased during the pregnancy and suddenly decreases with the baby's birth. These hormonal changes trigger the prolactin and oxytocin hormones. Since the intended mother is not actually pregnant in the surrogacy process, the stimulation and hormone triggering are done artificially. Surrogacy Success Rate in India

 

·         Stimulation: Some women just need mechanical stimulation by breast massage or pump suction to produce milk formation hormone (prolactin) and milk releasing hormone (oxytocin).

·         Hormone Intakes: It is initiated almost 3-4 months before the delivery date. The hormones are given in the form of birth control pills to the mother that misleads the body as if she is pregnant. Just before the delivery, birth control pills are replaced by medication that enhances milk production.

·         Pumping: This process starts just after the induction of milk-producing medicines. The doze of pumping is slowly increased until the body starts milk production.

·         Nursing Process: Sometimes, milk production does not start at the right time and may miss the colostral phase (breastfeeding right after the child’s birth). Sometimes, milk production is not enough to satisfy the baby’s food requirements. In such cases, Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) comes into the picture. In this process, a silicon feeding tube with a bottle is stuck to the mother’s nipple. The attached bottle is filled with donor milk or formulated milk. When the baby sucks nipples, milk flows from the bottle and meets the need of the baby.

 

For more information on lactation and breastfeeding, contact Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour - the best gynecologist in Delhi NCR.