Why am I so passionate about getting breastmilk to babies? Imagine the following scenarios:
Scenerio #1
You take great care of your nutrition before and during your pregnancy to ensure the best outcome for your baby. The big day comes and you have a precious bundle eager for his first drink of mommy's milk, made just for him. The first few days you are not worried because it can take some time for your milk to come in. More days pass and still nothing. You begin to pump, seek a lactation consultant, advice from friends, nothing. Eventually you end up diagnosed with Insufficient Glandular Tissue and those 3 words break your heart. You did everything right, how could this happen? Now what? You check out the milk banks only to find the price is too high at $3-5 an ounce and even if you could afford the steep price, this milk is handed out on a need basis (as it should be), premature and the sickest of babies first. Even if you did qualify to receive breastmilk, there are very few milk banks out there and they are not the easiest to donate to so their supplies are always low. You think your only option now is formula.
Scenario #2
Like the above scenario, you did everything right before and during pregnancy but since you have to go back to work you decide formula is the option you want. A decision you are fine with until you give baby that first bottle and the formula does not agree with her. You try another formula and yet again, baby is sick. Another formula, same thing. A friend offers you some of her excess milk she pumped, you gratefully accept and for the time being baby is back to her happy self. But that supply runs out. Now what?
Scenario #3
You adopt a beautiful baby and you know breastmilk is the best. Enough said.
Scenario #4
You are the mom of a baby who decided to make his entrance into the world a little too early. While your sweet baby is in the NICU, you begin pumping like mad to ensure he has enough food. Turns out you are a milk making machine and you quickly fill up the deep freezer with more milk than your baby can drink. The nearest milk bank is over a state away making donation very difficult. It breaks your heart to pour that liquid gold down the drain, but what else are you going to do with it?
These are pictures of milk that was donated in Minnesota. Awesome!
My dear friend Emma Kwasnica had the sound mind to link these women together. It started out with the occasional plea on her very active Facebook page for breastmilk for a baby whose mom had suddenly passed away or a mom whose milk had dried up due to an unexpected pregnancy. A movement was born.
Now there are chapters in nearly every state and in many nations across the globe. To find a chapter near you visit Human Milk 4 Human Babies at http://www.hm4hb.net
Even little ol' North Dakota has a group (overseen by me).
Questions? Please, ask away!
