Apples & Dumplings: September 2012

A Few of My Thoughts and Experience on Milk Sharing

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (September). For this month, we will tackle milk sharing and how it can nurture the community, and how this spirit of giving can be sustained. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."

The only person I've received and given breast milk was my elder sister. When I gave birth to R last June, I didn't have milk until my 4th day. I was grateful that my sister who gave birth last March had some breast milk to spare. I called the NICU and told them not to give anything to R, glucose water or formula milk, but the expressed breast milk I will be providing. When the NICU found out that the breast milk was not from me, they made me write a waiver that I'm giving my baby "donated" milk. I don't know how other hospitals handle "donated" breast milk, but for Manila Doctor's Hospital, that's what they required me. And I gave my excess breast milk in return to my niece when my sister was having milk supply problem.

One of my hopes is to have more milk banks and hospitals to also have a milk bank. Not only in Manila, but also in other parts of our country. That would be great, right? More babies who are in need of breast milk would have access.

When I was having a really low milk supply with Y, I really thought of asking for milk from other moms. My husband was not really comfortable with it so I didn't. Same experience with my younger sister. Our husbands would only accept breast milk if it comes from family. Well, as for me, my only thought was breast milk is still better than giving formula milk. So at the end, I just had to power pump to increase my milk supply. I guess different people really have different views on milk sharing.

As for me, I really admire moms who are selfless and share their milk to families and babies who are in need. I'm also very inspired by the mom who's been donating her breast milk even if her baby have passed on. Currently, I have more than enough frozen breast milk and I'm hoping I can to share them or maybe donate them to a milk bank!

Check out the other participants take on this topic!
Brenda has notes on breast milk givers and takers
Mafeth wrote about being a milk donee
Cris donated her liquid gold
Pat had a happy problem donating solved
Jenny wrote about wet nursing from a relative's experience
Rachel discussed how she felt about receiving donated milk and nursing an adoptee's baby
Mec insists it takes two to Milk Share Tango
Cai received milk from her sister
Nats has a Milk Sharing Story too

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