Breast feeding. So how-come males don't?

[Michaelangelica]

We seem to have the eqipment but why don't males breast feed?
or
Why do they have breasts?
Google Groups

Breastfeed, suckle, suck, nurse, wet-nurse, lactate, give suck." Wet nurse,
a word in use since the 16th century, was probably never considered to be a
word describing a man breast-feeding his adopted child.

"Not possible!" you say.

Well, creation would argue with you because a man with the help of some
herbs and breast pumping can indeed nurse a child. The same protocols that
allow a woman to breast feed her adoptive child will make a man able to
breast feed as well. Lesbians who adopt a baby or use a surrogate can also
breast-feed their children with the exact same protocols.

Breast nursing is an important part of bonding with a child. If they weren't
adopted right at birth, than no doubt a wet nurse has been nursing them. It
helps them to feel secure in the transition from birth mother to adoptive
parent. It also helps build their sense of self worth. Continuing to breast
feed when you adopt the child helps this process to continue.

Studies show that breast-fed babies are more secure and self-aware. They are
healthier because they have received immunity antibodies from their parent's
breast milk. The issue of bonding is a very important one. One way to get to
know your baby on an intimate level is to breast-feed them. It is the
easiest and best way to start bonding with your child. Why should gay
fathers or babies of gay male families be denied this important process just
because it is not socially acceptable?

So why haven't more men breast-fed their children? You must admit that no
one ever sees a male breast-feeding a child. There could be several reasons
for that. Male gays adopting a child are in the minority of family types.
The squeaky wheel gets the oil so most lactation info and research etc, have
been built to appeal to woman.

Breast-feeding may increase breast size. Men won't become a double "d" cup,
but it is possible they could become a "b" cup." Developing breasts may not
be something that is desirable to you, your partner or others.

Another reason is that your partner may not be completely on board. This is
a family and all people play a role. While a lot of gay men appear to be
wiling to do anything for attention, some things may be too much! Remember
everything you do reflect on your partner! You two need to take the time and
effort to talk all of this through until you reach a mutual decision you
both can live with.

You may not get a lot of support from your families. Mom never thought her
little boy would be gay much less breast-feeding his own adopted child. If
coming out was difficult. This could send them over the edge. It is best to
discuss this with both sets of family. Make it as easy on them as you can.
Give them plenty of time, patience and love

Society itself isn't prepared for a man to breast-feed. Peaceful public
breast-feeding may be impossible. There are a lot of ugly people out there
who love to gay bait. By breast-feeding you give them their target on a
silver platter.

While milk-levels differ from person to person, it is important that you
realize you may not be able to produce enough milk to sufficiently sustain
your child on breast milk alone. Don't become upset or judgmental should
that happen. There are actually special supplements that are delivered by a
tube near to the nipple. They were invented for woman, but work equally as
well for men. We will discuss more of this in Part 2

There may not be a lot of medical support for you. You will need a doctor to
prescribe the meds and it helps to have one available for when you have
problems. Allow the lactation specialist to suggest a doctor who will work
with you and your particular needs. It will make it easier for you.

These issues need to be given serious consideration. They will help you make
the decision if you want to go on further with your quest to breast feed
your adoptive or by surrogate child.

As I mentioned earlier, there are herbs and medication that will assist you
on the road to successful breast-feeding. There are three herbs that are
effective at helping breast-feeding. Of these, fenugreek is considered the
most effective. They are:

· Fenugreek http://users.erols.com/cindyrn/fenuhugg.htm

· *blessed thistle **
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2603/0002/2603000211/p1/article.j...<http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g2603/0002/2603000211/p1/article.j...>

· Alfalfa
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/g...1/p1/article.j...

There is info on each herb at the link embedded in the words. There are also
herbs that can slow down your milk supply and make it difficult to be a
successful breastfeeding dad.

· *Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) · Lemon Balm · Oregano · Large amounts
of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) · Peppermint (Menthe piperita) ·
Periwinkle Herb (Vinca minor) · Sage (Salvia officinalis) · Sorrel (Rumex
acetosa) · Spearmint*

Some drugs actually have a side effect of causing lactation and it seems
like the best one may be
Domperidone<http://www.bflrc.com/newman/breastfeeding/domperid.htm>(Motilium&trade
Domperidone-1. Raglan has also been
used to induce lactation, but it has some serious bad side effects. It can't
be used safely for extended periods of time, as is necessary for adoptive
nursing, without significant risks.

I have tried to give you all the negatives and all the issues you need to
talk over with your partner and family. There are also plenty of wonder
positives. Below is a list of websites that will have important info for
you.

· Lact-Aid International: Welcome to Lact-Aid Information on
breastfeeding with the original, and most highly recommended, device
available for providing formula supplement to a baby at the breast.

· Adoption and Nursing Bulletin Board on ParentsPlace.com :
New Board Format A
general discussion of the topic. Be sure to look through the archives!

· La Leche League International: http://www.lalecheleague.org/bfadopt.html Five
articles written by adoptive mothers for LLLI's journal for nursing mothers,
"New Beginnings."

· The Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia:
Australian Breastfeeding Association A good resource for breastfeeding
information and support, and related equipment.

· The Adoptive Breastfeeding Resource Website:
http://www.prismnet.com/~naomi/abrw/index.htmlThis site provides helpful
links, discussion and a bulletin board for dialog about adoptive nursing.

Once you have decided to breast feed you adoptive child and have begun the
baby search, find a lactation specialist willing to work with you. Believe
it or not many specialist are familiar with adoptive breast-feeding. Contact
a La Leche League (LOLL) Leader La Leche League or a Lactation
Consultant ilca.com :: this domain is for sale that has experience with adoptive nursing
induced lactation. Other resources are Lacto Net,
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/...ctnet&m=23781/
a newsletter for lactation consultants.

From here you need to learn all you can about what is called adoptive
breast-feeding. Read the web articles I have cited. Go to the library and
read the books. Contact the La Leche League for info and help finding a
lactation consultant.

In part two of this artcle you will go through the next steps, the protocols
you need to follow to increase the chance of a full share of your milk
coming through and how to maximize what your body can do. You will look at
supplements and other trouble shooting options available to you.

[Jay-qu]

well.. that surely is a much more complicated way of asking the simple question "why do men have nipples?"

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by Jay-qu

well.. that surely is a much more complicated way of asking the simple question "why do men have nipples?"

Stephen Jay Gould covers this in depth in the chapter "Male Nipples and Clitoral Ripples" in his book, "Bully for the Brontosaurus":

Originally Posted by Stephen Jay Gould

Males and Females are not separate entities, shaped independently by natural selection. Both sexes are variants upon a single ground plan, elaborated in later embryology. Male mammals have nipples because females need them--and the embryonic pathway to their development builds precursors in all mammalian fetuses, enlarging the breasts later in females but leaving them small (and without evident function) in males.

That should tittilate you boys well enough for a Friday afternoon...

Similarly equipped,
Buffy

[Jay-qu]

That sure answers a long standing question of mine thanks buffy

[ronthepon]

Indeed. By screwing with the horomones of a small kid, you can probably turn a XY chromosome organism into a female.

[Michaelangelica]

Originally Posted by Buffy

Stephen Jay Gould covers this in depth in the chapter "Male Nipples and Clitoral Ripples" in his book, "Bully for the Brontosaurus":

Sounds like a title I should track down

I guess the "default' setting in humans is for females and only at puberty do the right chemicals start doing their job.

Men can lactate even without supliments of female hormones
SEE
Milkmen: Fathers who Breastfeed

A breast is a breast. Male lactation is physiologically possible and, according to Dr. Robert Greenblatt, production in males can be stimulated by letting a baby suckle for several weeks.

maybe males even have the necessary hormones?

in theory, men can breastfeed. Male breasts have milk ducts, and some mammary tissue. They also have oxytocin and prolactin, the hormones responsible for milk production. There have been reports of men who were able to produce milk through extensive breast and nipple stimulation, but no one knows whether the milk was of the same composition or quality as the kind women produce

Can men breastfeed?
This article is worth a read

He also notes that starvation—which inhibits the functioning of hormone-producing glands as well as the hormone-absorbing liver—can cause spontaneous lactation, as observed in survivors of Nazi concentration camps and Japanese POW camps in World War II.

Strange but True: Males Can Lactate: Scientific American

A man's nipple can also offer comfort
ABC News: Men Can Also Offer Their Babies a Nipple

The Times of London suggests that when mom is not around, a man's nipple may be just as comforting to a crying baby.

So if dad breastfeeds does mum get jealous?

[Jay-qu]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

So if dad breastfeeds does mum get jealous?

I think she would be glad for a break!

The question is, would you feel like less of a man?

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Michaelangelica

I guess the "default' setting in humans is for females and only at puberty do the right chemicals start doing their job.

The first part you wrote is correct, but not the second. Chemicals start doing things much much sooner, especially as pertaines to sexual differentiation.

Human sexual differentiation

The internal genitalia derives from the differentiation of two pairs of ducts: the wolffian ducts and the müllerian ducts. Both ducts develop from the part of the mesonephros which does not participate to the formation of the fetal gonad. They both end in the urogenital sinus which opens to the perineum at the level of the urogenital orifice, located at the base of the genital tubercle.

When the definitive kidney becomes functional, the wolffian duct that is dependent of the presence of androgens becomes the vas deferens system. In the female fetus, the wolffian ducts degenerate. In the male fetus, the anterior part of the wolffian ducts communicate with the seminiferous tubules, the posterior part forms the vas deferens and the seminal vesicle. This differentiation is dependent of high local concentration of testosterone, which is only active during a " critical " period during which the wolffian duct is sensitive. Testosterone and not dihydrotestosterone, is the active hormone as the wolffian duct does not contain 5 alpha-reductase activity at this stage of development

When the embryo is 50 mm, the uterovaginal canal formed by the reunion of both caudal terminals joins the posterior wall of the urogenital sinus, between the two orifices of the wolffian ducts. In the female embryo, müllerian ducts differentiate into fallopian tubes, the uterus and the upper part of the vagina. The uterine cervix develops later at crown-rump length 150mm. Receptors for estradiol have been found in the müllerian ducts (38,51), but their physiological significance is unknown as estrogens are not necessary for the differentiation of the female internal genitalia. In the male fetus, müllerian ducts begin to regress at crown-rump length 30 mm and have disappeared at crown-rump length 43 mm. This regression is due to the presence of the antimüllerian hormone (AMH). The müllerian duct is sensitive to AMH during a limited period of fetal development (up to 8 weeks in the human fetus). This hormone only acts locally.