Our body is working in miraculous ways, and breastfeeding is one of them. But can you breastfeed a baby without being pregnant? Many mothers decide to adopt infants, and they want to feel as close to them as possible. There is no stronger bond between a mother and a child than the one created during nursing months.
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Can you have breast milk without being pregnant?
An amazing thing about the human body is that a woman can produce breastmilk even without being pregnant. There are extremely rare cases that show this as a possibility for some men too. The ability to produce breastmilk in the absence of a pregnancy is called galactorrhea.
What is Galactorrhea?
Galactorrhea is the condition when women produce breastmilk in one or both breasts without going through pregnancy. Again, the condition refers primarily to women. Still, there are sporadic cases when men can go through that as well.
Breastmilk that appears through this condition might leak or appear only when the breasts are stimulated. In most cases, the cause of the appearance of breastmilk without pregnancy can be established by the doctor upon further investigations. However, there are also situations when the cause of galactorrhea remains unknown.
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What causes galactorrhea?
Even if there are situations when galactorrhea[1] doesn’t seem to have a natural cause, in most cases, there are one or more of the following reasons that could lead to this condition.
A) Medication can cause galactorrhea
One of the most common reasons for galactorrhea is medication. Medicine such as birth control, hormones, blood pressure medicine, or antidepressants can cause galactorrhea. In addition, illegal drugs might have the same side effect and herbal medication like fennel, anise, or fenugreek. This is why it is essential to talk to your doctor before starting any new treatment and always respect your doctor’s dosage.
Not everyone who takes such treatments will suffer from galactorrhea. Still, in combination with the hormones and chemicals in one’s body, there is a risk for such a condition.
B) Medical conditions
Galactorrhea can appear in people with certain health conditions such as hormonal imbalances or tumors of the pituitary and those who suffer from thyroid disease or kidney failure. However, pituitary tumors are rare. Even when they happen, they are not grave since there is a treatment available for them.
Since galactorrhea can result from a medical condition, it is vital to go to your doctor for further investigation to get a proper diagnosis.
C) Breast stimulation
Breastmilk can appear as a result of excessive breast stimulation. This stimulation could happen intentionally or by wearing clothing that is too tight on the breasts. Too many breast exams might cause galactorrhea as well.
It is crucial to reduce breast stimulation to a minimum and only get your breasts examined when your doctor recommends such a procedure.
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Symptoms of galactorrhea
Galactorrhea can appear by itself or along with several other symptoms. If you have breastmilk flow without pregnancy, you might also experience one or more of the following symptoms.
- headaches
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Sleeping difficulty
- Low sex interest
- Reduced eyesight
- Increased hair growth and acne.
- Increased urination
If you have any of these symptoms along with galactorrhea, you will have to talk to your doctor for further investigation. Most often, your doctor will take a blood sample and ask you to have an MRI so that they can see if you have any tumor. Then, according to the results of these tests, they will establish the proper treatment if treatment is needed.
Possible treatment for galactorrhea
In many cases, galactorrhea doesn’t require a complex treatment as the breastmilk will most often dry by itself without a proper nursing routine. However, if your doctor discovers an underline condition such as a tumor or hormone imbalance, they will require you to follow a treatment that eliminates this condition.
Most underline conditions that have galactorrhea as a side effect can be treated with medicine.
Adoptive breastfeeding
Mothers that adopt an infant want to empower their bond with their child as much as possible. Breastfeeding is a great way to create an emotional connection, especially between a mother and her adopted child. Of course, if you choose to induce lactation, you have to know that this is possible even if you didn’t give birth to your baby, but there are things you can do to increase your chances of success.
Here are certain things an adoptive mother can do to breastfeed their baby and increase their emotional connection!
A) Induce lactation by using a breast pump.
If you use a regular breast pump every few hours, daily, chances are that you will be able to induce lactation. You can also try latching your baby to your breast, as they will increase the chance of lactation by properly stimulating your breasts. However, how much breastmilk you will produce depends on one woman to another. The general rule says that you should use a breast pump every two hours, but you can adapt this interval according to how your body responds.
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B) Take lactation supplements.
Lactation supplements can also support your induced lactation process. You can purchase natural lactation supplements online or from a regular drug store. Still, the best way to choose the product that will work for you is by talking to your doctor. Since many lactation supplements take several weeks to show results. You want to start such a treatment even before your baby comes.
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C) Have skin-to-skin contact.
Skin-to-skin contact will enforce the bond you and your baby have and will bring comfort to both of you. This method will also send your body signals to produce breastmilk. Even if holding your baby alone might not induce lactation, it will help this process along with other methods. Skin-to-skin contact is a great way to nurture your baby even when you are not breastfeeding them.
D) Talk to your doctor before having your baby.
Keep in touch with your doctor and a lactation specialist when trying to induce lactation. A specialized opinion every time you think taking a supplement will help you make the best decision. Have your doctor analyze your health state so they can decide whether or not you should induce lactation, or maybe you should stick to formula feedings.
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Even if breastmilk can appear in people that didn’t go through a pregnancy, that doesn’t mean you should neglect the other symptoms that could come along with it. If you are an adoptive mother, try to induce lactation in a controlled manner without taking unnecessary risks. However, if you have galactorrhea, check for any underlying conditions that might lead to such a side effect.
