Something You Might Want To Know

Since I began breastfeeding almost a year and a half ago, I've had many inquires from people regarding it. It's funny because these inquires usually come from folks of the older generation. A bit of quirky information that I usually pass on is from things that Paul has told me (he's a nutritionist). He said that a woman can lactate without having had a child and that many adoptive parents breastfeed their adopted children. I was once told a story about a woman who was breastfeeding her grandchild because the parents weren't around much. It's also been said that men are able to lactate! And although I'd heard stories like this, I had to research it myself; and sure enough! everything I'd heard was confirmed. I think some folks might get a kick out of this article:

Lactation without pregnancy

Although it is not widely known in developed countries, women who have never been pregnant are sometimes able to stimulate lactation sufficient to breastfeed. This is called "induced lactation", while a woman who has lactated before and re-starts is said to "relactate". If the nipples are stimulated as in breastfeeding for a while (such as by a breast pump or actual suckling), eventually the breasts will begin to produce milk which can be used to feed a baby. Once established, lactation adjusts to demand. For this reason, adoptive mothers, usually initially in conjunction with some form of supplementation, such as a supplemental nursing system, are able to breastfeed their infants and young children [29]. There is thought to be little or no difference in milk composition whether lactation is induced or a result of pregnancy. Rare accounts of male lactation (as distinct from galactorrhea) exist in the medical literature.

Some couples may choose to induce lactation as a solely sexual practice.

Additionally, some drugs, primarily atypical antipsychotics such as Risperdal, may cause lactation in both women and men.

--The information was copied from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breastfeeding

************************************

And although we American women get stares for breastfeeding our children beyond one year, historically, women in other countries breastfed for long periods of time. I'd read how in one African tribe women breastfed their adolescent children. I always found this information to be extraordinary. And then I read this bit of information about Japanese women from the above article which read: Traditionally, Japanese babies were born at home and breastfed with the help of breast massage. Weaning was often late, with breastfeeding in rare cases continuing until early adolescence.

(Picture removed for safety reasons.

It was a photo of a mother nursing her toddler and newborn at the sametime)

Now this is a woman dedicated to breastfeeding! A newborn and a toddler? She didn't even wait to leave the daggone hospital. You go girl!
--Tidbit of info: No, I don't know this woman!