...if I adopt a child who is still young I want to breastfeed them, so I looked into inducing breastfeeding without a pregnancy a bit. But that's pretty much as far as I went.
Many women can nurse an adopted baby. the factors that make it more successful are having a younger baby (since older ones will have become accustomed to bottle nipples), and pumping one's breasts frequently in the months preceding the adoption (ie: every 2 hours around the clock, with one 4 hour rest at night).
That, and until fairly recently, I actually thought the only cases when babies weren't breastfed were when they were allergic to breast milk (my younger brother was so we fed him formula instead).
Babies can't be allergic to breastmilk, it's much more likely he was sensitive to certain foods your mom ate, that passed into her milk.
A baby can have a heart condition that prevents them from sucking hard enough to 'order' their rations of milk from the boobies. That's at least how I understood the trouble in one family I know.
Ill babies, or premies, can have trouble being strong enough to suckle properly, but can be taught to as they grow. The mother can pump milk and give it by another method (syringe, spoon, small cup) until the baby grows stronger. A heart condition would be a really good reason to breastfeed, or provide the mother's pumped milk at least. If he needs surgery, human milk will greatly speed recovery.
Also, for whatever reason, not all women really produce enough milk. Can Magdlyn or Derbie or someone else in the know explain why?
Actually it is much more common to have an oversupply. Rarely a mother may have this or that condition, a congenital abnormality, or breast reduction, or retained piece of placenta, which can reduce supply. It's much more likely she thinks she doesnt have enough, because you can't measure it as you can with bottles. But you can weigh a baby before and after a feed to see how much he took. Also sufficient diaper output can be checked.
Giving bottles of formula or pacifiers can of course, reduce a good supply.
Or they don't want their breasts to sag, or have breast implants, which I believe is not good for breastfeeding,
Actually it's fine to breastfeed with implants, esp the way they are done nowadays.
or just believe that breastfeeding isn't necessary if there's formula that does the "same" thing.
sigh...
Still, I can't help but to wonder - is it easy for women who have not given birth themselves to induce lactation? I'm super-sensitive to all sex hormones, so are there strong side affects to taking whatever it is you need to take for that to happen?
It's very rare women take oxytocin nasal spray. As I said above, to make milk, stimulate your breasts as frequently as the baby would nurse. Google Supplemental Nursing System, which can deliver a supplement while the baby nurses. Most adoptive moms do not produce a full supply, but will produce some. Every drop of white gold helps!