Adoptive Breastfeeding: Journey from Personal Experience to Professional Expertise

Breastfeeding/chestfeeding can provide psychological and immunological support to an adopted infant. It can create an enriching bond between adoptive parents and infants. During my first-hand experience with adoptive breastfeeding, I came across various challenges, leading me to a professional journey of helping other adoptive parents meet their feeding goals. This presentation is about the challenges and impacts of adoptive breastfeeding, how it benefits parent- baby dyad, and role of family/support systems in adoptive breastfeeding through the lens of my personal and professional experiences.