Last year during World Milksharing Week I had a couple of guest posts from two of our fabulous breastmilk donors - Julie and Rachel, aka Weston's mama.
An update on Julie - she's pregnant with munchkin #2. She isn't able to pump much these days (pregnancy hormones and all) but continues to nurse little L (who is so freaking cute it hurts). I think she's planning to tandem nurse and I KNOW she'll donate milk again if she's able (and that seems absolutely likely).
And Rachel? Well that beautiful family also has a new addition in their family. And their sweet new guy is also thriving on his mama's breastmilk.
I've got a new guest post lined up for later this week from another of our super donors, Lauren. Lauren and Julie together have provided probably 80% or more of the milk baby E has had. I'm amazed by them. So make sure to come back later this week to read about her experiences with donating.
I know for many milksharing continues to be a controversial topic, something not understood, and thus feared. However, for us, for my family and the amazing women who have donated their milk to us, milksharing is normal. It is healthy. It is why my child thrives. It has allowed me to provide for him something that infertility and my inadequate body made impossible. There will never be enough gratitude for the gift milksharing has given us all.
For now, I'll leave you with a link to a story of one of our donor experiences that I shared on the official World Milksharing website. Here is direct link to our story.
Happy Milksharing Week!
Today's Lesson: Just because you don't understand something, that doesn't make it weird or wrong. It makes you uneducated about it. Educate yourself. If you then decide it's not for you, then that's what it is. It still doesn't necessarily make it weird or wrong for someone else.
5 comments:
Oh how I wish I could turn back the clock four and a half years and know about milk sharing! I took Domperidone and was able to feed my son about four meals a day (I tried the SNS a few times, but just didn't have the patience for it). I had checked out milk banks and was appalled at the cost! Good for you for keeping on and for getting the word out on you blog.
Thank you for sharing and raising awareness. When G was a newborn and having so much trouble nursing, my supply plummetted. A good friend graciously shared some of her milk with us. Although we didn't BF for long and eventually used formula, I am so grateful for that kind gesture of my friend.
When my girl was born milk was scarce and about $15 an ounce. It just wasn't possible. Glad this is going on.
I wish so much that I could do this. My supply has always been just barely enough, and while I should be thrilled that it has been enough, I often wish I had enough to share.
I wish I had known about this 7 years ago. It was so easy for me to pump, I would have been happy to have shared milk.
Love hearing about it.
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