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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that inducing lactation in a man with illegal drugs is not the best way to feed a newborn?

145 replies

DrudgeJedd · 11/02/2018 21:08

www.romper.com/p/a-transgender-woman-has-exclusively-breastfed-her-baby-its-a-dream-come-true-8146751/amp?__twitter_impression=true
This is child abuse not a scientific breakthrough. For 6 weeks that baby was fed a mix of artificial hormones and banned medication to validate the gender identity of a man.

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 11/02/2018 21:41

Also, think of all the thousands...millions of women, on MN and beyond who have breastfed or tried to breastfeed. The anxiety around it, the pressure, the worry about if you are doing it right, is baby getting enough milk, the guilt, the failure or success in gaining weight, the 'debates' about whether breastfeeding mothers are too 'ostentatious' or should 'sit in a corner', getting shit for drinking a glass of wine.

We do all that, we trudge through it and don't expect any recognition and Christ knows we certainly don't get any.

And then a fucking MAN comes along to show us the HE can woman just all well as any of us, with our cis privileged breasts. And we are supposed to celebrate it and fawn over what a wonderful celebration of 'womanhood' this is. All the while it is highly likely that the baby is not getting full benefit from it.

Fuck. That. Shit.

RockinRobinTweets · 11/02/2018 21:41

Chest is best

Surfandterf · 11/02/2018 21:42

I feel sick. what the fuck have I just read.

Glassofredandapackofcrisps · 11/02/2018 21:43

This is awful. Breast milk is the best for a child born to that mother. I have no problem with anyone parenting a child but to force lactation on yourself because you want to experience breastfeeding??? Me me me no thought to the child and their needs. Totally selfish.

fathertedisgay · 11/02/2018 21:43

dont be transphobic please Smile

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/02/2018 21:44

This is the journal article.

It says the trans woman told the clinic staff that her partner was pregnant and not interested in breastfeeding so she wanted to take on the role of feeding the baby. I'd like to know more about that. Was the pregnant woman genuinely not interested in breastfeeding, or was she pressured to step back after she'd done the bit the father couldn't do and let him try this grim experiment? That's how I read what happened in this not dissimilar case: www.thestranger.com/queer-issue-2017/2017/06/21/25225867/my-first-time-breastfeeding-my-daughter Reading between the lines there, the father insisted on taking a share in the breastfeeding and it disrupted his partner's supply, so the baby went onto formula quite early.

An alternative scenario in this new 'breakthrough' is that the mother is also trans and wanted to get back onto her own hormones asap.

Spottytop1 · 11/02/2018 21:44

The poster who said women who adopt sometimes do this is right, so do some women who have babies through surrogacy.

There has been advice and guidance on how to induce lactation around for many years, this not something that has suddenly been thought up by transgender people.

DrudgeJedd · 11/02/2018 21:45

SleightofMind I've never heard of men being able to breastfeed newborns, when & where has this happened please?
I'm intrigued

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Dljlr · 11/02/2018 21:46

Now if men injected themselves with hormones in a an attempt to recreate periods, along with the cramp,the PMT, the hormone swings, the bloating,the poorly tummies, the wind, the nasty bowel movements,the gentry feeling of feeling like shit every months for around 40 years, and then put themselves on hormones to give them menopause symptoms

Oh, this from Binary

SleightOfMind · 11/02/2018 21:47

And thus the war was lost.

Honestly people. This is a complete non issue.
There are much bigger issues at stake, really serious infringements on our rights and protections as women.
Don’t squander your rage.

DrudgeJedd · 11/02/2018 21:48

This is nothing like adoptive mothers or lesbian partners inducing lactation.

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Thisusernamethingistricky · 11/02/2018 21:49

If you actually read the article, the transgender 'mother' was on a cocktail of drugs, not just domperidone.

And she only breastfed for six weeks, which sounds like either
a) it wasn't working very well and the baby wasn't thriving enough to continue.
b) after the initial novelty of breastfeeding wore off, they decided, actually it was a bit of a shitty bind and gave up.

expertonnothing · 11/02/2018 21:49

it's all getting a bit too weird

SmileEachDay · 11/02/2018 21:52

There is no risk to baby from this and, while it’s a bit of a headfuck, it’s really not a problem

The FDA don’t seem to think this?

And I’d love a link to a documented case of a man “naturally” breastfeeding.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 11/02/2018 21:52

I disagree, SleightOfMind. I had an absolutely visceral reaction to this story and looking at Twitter and both threads here I'm not alone. This is such a totally unnecessary development. What we need is more support for mothers, not people indulging this vanity project. Same with any research work being done on trying to make it possible for men to get pregnant. Women's and children's health is not given enough priority. I think this story throws that into sharp relief.

feebeecat · 11/02/2018 21:53

0010001 excellent point!
Wonder when we'll be seeing the article detailing how they did that? Or the raging pregnancy hormones, during and after? Oh & the joys of menopause, I'd like to share that one too Hmm

DrudgeJedd · 11/02/2018 21:53

I'll squander my rage if I want to Sleight anyway still waiting for you to share info about these men who can naturally breastfeed.

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bananafish81 · 11/02/2018 21:55

*Even when a woman who did not give birth to the child takes the hormones, I wouldn't be impressed. However, I think once lactation has been stimulated in a woman, it continues as long as the child feeds.

I think adopting women do this at times.*

Many women on the surrogacy groups I'm on have or plan to do induced lactation to try to feed their babies born through surrogacy

One woman bf successfully via induced lactation for 18 months!

My womb is now too damaged to support a pregnancy, so the only way we can turn one of our frozen embryos into a person is if we transfer one into someone else's womb. If we are ever lucky enough to have a child then I the intended (genetic but not birth) mother would ideally plan to at least attempt induced lactation, as a means not just of trying to feed my baby but a very valuable way for mothers who didn't carry or give birth to their children to bond with their baby. It's an enormously difficult thing to be unable to carry your own baby, so the ability to be able to feed your child yourself can be a huge thing emotionally for an intended mother.

"Mothers who induce lactation produce mature breastmilk that is comparable to the breastmilk of a biological mother at 10 days post partum. Because inducing moms are unable to produce human placental lactogen, they are unable to produce colostrum. However, since the amount of antibodies and other immune factors remains the same throughout lactation regardless of the volume of milk produced, mature milk contains ample amounts of antibodies, immune factors and other beneficial components that benefit both mother and baby."

https://www.asklenore.info/breastfeeding/inducedlactation/gnn_protocols.shtml

cista · 11/02/2018 21:59

@fathertedisgay

Seriously? Your concern here is for "transphobia"? Not the innocent baby forced to play a cruel part in someone's narcissism?

AngryBiscuit

hazeyjane · 11/02/2018 22:01

There is no risk to baby from this and, while it’s a bit of a headfuck, it’s really not a problem.

In a world where breastfeeding mothers struggle to access support, birth injuries are treated with disdain and postnatal care sucks arse, actually I think squandering time, research and funding on making it possible for a transgender individual to breastfeed for a few weeks, is a problem.

Also, you're 100% sure there are no risks to the baby?

SmileEachDay · 11/02/2018 22:04

I think Father was being sarcastic..,

picklemepopcorn · 11/02/2018 22:11

Bananafish, after I said that I looked up the protocol. It's completely within the range of drugs generally given to women for various reasons, so I take back my comment! Should you go ahead, I wish you all the luck in the world!

bf1000 · 11/02/2018 22:13

All humans are able to produce milk regardless of gender. Mostly these hormones are triggered by the removal of the placenta. Pumping can induce lactati9n, hormonal imbalances treatment. The hormones taken to induce lactation mimic those produced through pregnancy. They are safe to take. Will not harm babies.

Not to get into a debate but in order of preference on best for babies is

  1. Human milk direct from mothers breast
  2. Human milk direct from a donor breast
  3. Human milk mother or donor via SNS, springer, cup or bottle
  4. Non human milk ie formula

Now if the breast area produces milk it is human milk regardless of gender. Human milk is superior for human babies than cow's milk that makes formula which is designed for calf's

floriad · 11/02/2018 22:13

Many women stop taking certain (not unnecessary medication during pregnancy or when breastfeeding), make sure they stick to the right "pregnancy diet", don't drink alcohol, caffeine etc (I'm not saying the shouldn't do these things, btw).
This is imo clearly unnecessary, doesn't seem to have been studied at all in regards to biologically male people and may be genuinely risky / dangerous.

DrudgeJedd · 11/02/2018 22:14

I agree hazeyjane that article definitely puts the transgender parent front & centre, the effect of this experiment on the baby is barely mentioned.

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