Medically-assisted reproduction often requires the support of a healthy female surrogate. Surrogacy arrangements allow aspiring parents to partner with someone capable of safely carrying a pregnancy to full term. There are many unique issues that families have to address when negotiating with a surrogate. In some cases, for example, intended parents may feel concerned about newborn nutrition.
Can surrogates theoretically support recently born infants with breast milk or breastfeeding?
Contracts may address breastfeeding
Health care researchers agree that a fed baby is the healthiest baby. However, whenever there is a possibility of safely providing a newborn with a mother’s breast milk, that is almost always preferable to exclusively formula-feeding the infant.
Breast milk provides assistance with the development of the immune system. Active breastfeeding actually allows for communication between the child and the nursing woman. The breast milk may shift in nutrient composition based on the baby’s needs.
In some cases, surrogates may agree to breastfeed for a limited window of time after the delivery of a child. Other times, they may agree to maintain lactation and provide pumped breast milk to the parents of the baby.
That being said, there can be complications associated with breastfeeding after surrogacy, not the least of which is the development of emotional attachment. Additionally, not every mother is capable of producing adequate quantities of breast milk even if they carried a healthy pregnancy to full term.
Intended parents intending to work with a surrogate may need help discussing breast milk and breastfeeding with surrogacy candidates to see what options they may have. Having support when negotiating terms for assisted reproduction contracts can make a major difference for those trying to grow their families.