early breastfeeding with colostrum, regulation of heart rate and respiration rate of the baby just by being naked on the mother’s chest, hormonal benefits of attachment for mother and baby as a part of the natural bond and later studies which show the benefits on brain development which are associated with skin to skin care in preterm infant. [6] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12578-kangaroo-care .
As a pediatrician and a neonatologist, this is one of my favorite parts of the job…taking a newborn and placing them on their mother’s chest. It is in many ways perhaps the most important part of our assessment and resuscitation.
This would explain why Gabrielle Union was indeed in a hospital gown and providing skin to skin infant for her newborn shortly after delivery. This is standard of care for all healthy newborns and perhaps even more crucial for bonding and attachment for newborn delivered through surrogacy. It is wonderful that the Wades were able to have this experience as a standard of care after delivery. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends the promotion and support of mothers who desire to breastfeed following the delivery of an infant traditionally as well as through surrogacy. [7]
There are several documented cases of successful breastfeeding of infants delivered through surrogacy and infants breastfed successfully following adoption. The first successful case of induced lactation in a nonlactating female for an unrelated newborn infant was documented in 2014. [8]
It is not clear if Gabrielle Union has decided to breastfeed or not but skin to skin care immediately after delivery would support the success of this process. In order to breastfeed following surrogacy, there needs to be stimulation of the breast/nipples for milk production as well as promotion of milk production through medications known as Galactagogues. Some of which include Reglan, Domperidone, Fenugreek, and Thistle. There are a variety of protocols for induction which can be reviewed at a variety of sites.[9]
Typically, if there is time to prepare for the infant a mother will receive a combination progesterone and estrogen using oral contraceptives to maximize structural changes in breast tissue which are