How does this work then? Tandem feeding a toddler and an adopted newborn

[claireybee]

I know how normal tandem feeding works but can your body realise that you are feeding a newborn and adjust the milk accordingly even if you haven't had the pregnancy/birth. Wow if so! Will the baby be getting everything it needs or will the milk be suited to the toddler?

DH's auntie is doing it. She has a 20 month old who is still bf and has just taken in an abandoned newborn

wow claire! what country does your DHs auunty live in? Good luck to her!

you will find information about tandem feeing on teh kellymom website

AFAIK any breast milk will be much better for the new baby than formula

Amazing isn't it? I cried when I was told, we are going out there (Botswana) next month and DH is now scared to take me in case I start trying to take all the orphans home

Have looked on Kellymom but no answers there

I'd guess its such an uncommon occurence (at least in the parts of the world where people are likely to try and research the milk content) you won't be able to find an answer. My (completely unfounded) guess would be that the milk composition will be affected by a whole host of different factors including the presence of the newborn baby, feeding patterns and the woman's psyche (emotions, etc). How much of an impact those will have relative to the established milk supply for the toddler I don't have a clue, but I'd agree that any breast milk will be better than any formula.

And I'd agree that your DH's aunt sounds like a wonderful woman.

please give her our admiring congratulations

What an amazing woman. regardless of if her body will produce the 'right' milk for the baby, by breastfeeding the newborn she is of course giving it all the antibodies etc so...wow brilliant!

Claireybee - I am tandem feeding my own children. She won't have the massive rush of prolactin that you get three days after giving birth but basically the principles are the same. She needs to keep the baby close and feed as often as possible and encourage the toddler to feed more too - this will up the supply within about three weeks to the correct levels - oh and the body will start to favour the baby very quickly so the baby gets the right milk.

How utterly wonderful !

Wow, what a fantastic and utterly selfless thing to do.

warms the cockles of my heart hearing this

that's amazing!
make sure you tell us how the trip goes won't you

Wonderful woman! She won't produce the colostrum as she would for her own newborn but the milk will definitely do the baby much more good than formula.
Be sure to tell her all the Mum's on Mumsnet are cheering her on!

Thanks everyone! TBH I very much doubt that she has given it any thought-for her it seems to be a case of "well i've got milk so why not?" but I couldn't help but wonder how it would work. She'll probably find it hilarious when I tell her I was asking about it-especially that I was asking a bunch of strangers on the internet!

WMMC how amazing that her body will start to favour the baby.