I want to tell you something that surprises a lot of people.
You do not have to be pregnant to breastfeed.
Read that again, because I mean it. The ability to produce milk is not reserved for people who grew and delivered a baby. Induced lactation — the process of stimulating milk production without a pregnancy — is real, it is evidence-based, and it is something we help families with right here in Middle Georgia.
If you are growing your family through adoption or surrogacy, and you’ve wondered whether breastfeeding could be part of your story, I am so glad you found your way to this post.
So What Exactly Is Induced Lactation?
Induced lactation is the process of bringing in a milk supply in a person who has not been pregnant. It works by mimicking what happens hormonally in the body during and after pregnancy — specifically, the drop in estrogen and progesterone that signals the body to start making milk, and the ongoing stimulation that tells it to keep going.
Your body is smarter than you might think. It doesn’t necessarily know why it’s making milk. It just responds to the signals it receives.
Those signals can be created intentionally, with the guidance of a knowledgeable provider. There are a few different ways this can be done, and the right approach depends on how much time you have before your baby arrives, your health history, and what your personal goals are.
The Newman-Goldfarb Protocol (and Why You Need a Doctor)
The most well-known approach to induced lactation is the Newman-Goldfarb Protocol, developed by Dr. Jack Newman and Lenore Goldfarb. It uses hormonal medications — often birth control pills to simulate the hormones of pregnancy, followed by a taper off — combined with a pumping schedule to stimulate milk production in the weeks or months leading up to baby’s arrival.
I want to be really clear here: this is not a DIY situation. The hormonal components of an induced lactation protocol need to be prescribed and managed by a physician, OB, or other qualified medical provider. What we do as your IBCLCs is work alongside that medical care — helping you optimize your pumping routine, evaluate your output, support your latch once baby arrives, troubleshoot supply concerns, and help you figure out how to supplement at the breast if needed.
It truly takes a village, y’all.
What If There’s No Time for a Full Protocol?
I hear this a lot. Our match came faster than expected. Or we didn’t know this was possible until the last minute.
The good news is that even a shorter timeline doesn’t mean breastfeeding is off the table. Some parents come to me with only days or weeks before placement. We cannot always build a full supply in that time — I won’t promise you something I can’t deliver — but we can often achieve meaningful milk production and supplementation at the breast using tools like a supplemental nursing system (SNS). That means your baby can still breastfeed, still have the skin-to-skin and the closeness and the bonding that you were hoping for, even if formula or donor milk is part of the picture too.
Fed is fed. Breastfed is beautiful. And both things can be true at the same time.
What About Surrogacy?
If your baby is being carried by a gestational surrogate, induced lactation may be a bit more streamlined in some ways, because you often have a more predictable timeline to work with. You know when your baby is expected to arrive. That means we can plan.
We can work backward from your due date, map out a protocol with your doctor, and build your supply intentionally. Many intended parents in this situation are able to establish a significant milk supply before baby even gets home.
Again — significant does not always mean exclusive. And that is okay. Every drop of your milk is valuable.
Will It Work?
This is the question I get most often, and I want to answer it honestly.
Results vary. A lot.
Some people who induce lactation produce a full or near-full supply. Some produce enough to supplement alongside formula or donor milk. Some produce smaller amounts that still carry all the immunological and bonding benefits breastfeeding provides. And some, despite their best efforts, produce very little.
The variables are real — your body’s individual response, how much time you had to prepare, how consistently you were able to pump, and factors that are honestly just out of anyone’s control.
What I can promise you is this: working with an IBCLC gives you the best possible chance at the outcome you’re hoping for. We can help you build the strongest foundation, catch problems early, and adjust as we go. That matters.
The Bonding Piece
I talk about milk a lot in this work, because families often come to me focused on milk. And milk is important. But I want to say something to the adoptive and surrogate parents reading this:
What your baby needs most is you.
The closeness. The warmth. The smell of your skin. The sound of your heartbeat. Those are the things breastfeeding is made of, and they belong to you whether you produce a milliliter of milk or a freezer full of it.
Induced lactation is a beautiful option. It is not the measure of your love or your commitment to your child. And however your baby is fed — at the breast with your milk, at the breast with donor milk or formula through an SNS, or in your arms with a bottle — you are doing something profound.
You chose this baby. You are choosing this baby every single day.
That’s everything.
Ready to Talk About Whether Induced Lactation Is Right for You?
If you’re expecting a baby via adoption or surrogacy and you want to explore whether induced lactation is possible for your family, I would love to sit down with you — literally or virtually — and talk through your situation.
At Nurturing Lactation Care, we see families for prenatal lactation consultations, which is exactly where this conversation starts. We can review your timeline, talk through what a protocol might look like, discuss what questions to bring to your doctor, and make a plan that’s realistic for your life.
Our board certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) serve families all across Middle Georgia — Macon, Sandersville, Warner Robins, Milledgeville, the Lake Oconee area including Greensboro and Eatonton, and beyond — through in-home visits, office consultations at our Macon location on Vineville Avenue and our Sandersville office, and telehealth appointments. Distance doesn’t have to be a barrier.
You can reach us at (478) 288-8784 by call or text, or book online at nurturinglc.com.
Your baby’s feeding journey started before they were even in your arms. Let’s make sure you have the support you deserve for it.
Leia Giddens is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and the founder of Nurturing Lactation Care, serving families throughout Middle Georgia including Macon, Sandersville, Warner Robins, Milledgeville, the Lake Oconee area, and surrounding communities.