Is It Possible to Breastfeed without Previous Pregnancy? Protocols for Breastfeeding Induction

Abstract

Introduction. Induced lactation is a method by which a non-pregnant mother can breastfeed her baby. New family models such as homosexual couples, surrogate gestation and adoption are the typical cases in which you can choose to carry out this process. The existing methods for induction are pharmacological and non-pharmacological, both included in specific protocols. Objectives. To delve into the mechanism that allows lactation induction, the types of existing protocols, detailing what techniques were used and determining what are the success factors for successful induction. Material and methods. Bibliographic research in the following databases: Pubmed, Web of Science, Cinahl. The search is expanded in the Journal of Human Lactation and Musas. Sixteen case articles related to lactation induction were selected. Results. Most mothers manage to establish lactation thanks to personal motivation, emotional support, breast stimulation and sucking. Conclusions. There is a need to inform health professionals and consultants so that they can promote and advise on induced lactation when needed. More studies are necessary to be able to standardize inductive methods and to be able to individualize them according to the case, objectives, and expectations, since, based on these, the success of the induction will be determined.