Milk Sharing: How I'm Feeding All the Babies

When Lincoln was first born it was a little tough. He was a month early so his little body had a hard time keeping a good core temperature. He also had blood sugar issues and had his poor little foot pricked every 2 hours and dozens of times in the 3 days we were in the hospital. It was scary. They mentioned (felt more like threatening) the NICU over and over again.

On top of everything, my biggest struggle was that my milk hadn't come in. I was barely producing colostrum, the beautiful liquid gold that comes in before your milk. Baby's first food. I was grateful I had a little bit of that, but it wasn't enough. My body hadn't gotten the memo.

We fought his temperature and blood sugar issues. Thankfully, we were able to give him donor breast milk in a bottle. I am forever grateful that our hospital had that option. I was so, so relieved.

Before I fell pregnant, and even while pregnant, I always thought that donating milk would be amazing, but receiving breast milk seemed a bit odd. I always knew I'd donate, but never felt comfortable with the idea of receiving milk from a donor.

Until it was me.

And I was desperate. My preemie baby had to have SOMETHING. The clock was ticking. We were going to be discharged within hours and I was too stubborn to use formula. I just couldn't give up. I needed my milk to come in. I was pumping around the clock with nothing to show for it. I felt like my body was failing me once again. The first time with infertility and now a milk production struggle. I was so sad I wasn't able to give my baby the only thing he really needed from me in that moment. I felt helpless.

I reached out to a mom's group on Facebook and a sweet friend heard my story and offered to give me some of her stored milk. I cried so hard. I was so relieved! I've never felt such relief and hope. I'm crying just writing this!

Fast forward three months and over 800 ounces of stored milk later. (Currently I've pumped over 1,400 ounces! Moo)

A few of my friends have laughed at my ridiculous milk supply. I am, for lack of a better term, a dairy cow when it comes to milk production. Bovine qualities!

I had enough milk stored to feel comfortable in case my supply tanked or plummeted to a low supply.

After about a month with Lincoln we discovered he was having some pretty severe acid reflux. It's very common with newborns. We put him on medications, but there were other things we could try as well.

Lincoln struggled with digesting my milk if I'd eaten dairy. He couldn't break down the proteins that dairy introduced. I started avoiding obvious dairy and slowly became completely dairy free. It was so hard and still is! I love cheese. I miss it. That fake stuff is not the same!

A good friend of mine was struggling with milk production. She is working and finding the balance of work and pumping is very difficult. Her body isn't producing enough for her baby. It was overwhelming and defeating. I knew the feeling all too well.

Knowing that I was dairy free, pretty much a cow, in good health, etc, she asked if I'd be willing to donate some of my milk for Baby C. I was so excited! I've always wanted to donate, especially after receiving donor milk, so I definitely said yes!

My original plan was to pay it forward and donate to a milk bank after receiving donor milk at the hospital. When I was asked to donate to a friend I was beyond excited! I loved that I would KNOW who my milk was going to!

I'd been struggling to lose the last 15 pounds of my baby weight. I was so back and forth with eating healthy and then giving up a few days later. This was EXACTLY what I needed to get the last bit of baby weight off. I started eating so much better because of the dairy free diet.

Then we discovered Baby C (and Lincoln), had a soy intolerance. We added that into the mix. That made life with food quite a bit harder, but it was SO worth it.

My friend and I talked about the logistics of it all. I asked her what her diet mostly consisted of so I could mimic her eating habits. Even though breast milk is universal (thank goodness!), I wanted to keep it as close as I could. It turns out we have almost the exact same eating habits, so it was perfect!

I'd been pumping and preparing my body for this and I didn't even know it! I was already pumping 9-11oz in 15 minutes (after nursing Lincoln!). Talk about an oversupply!

The goal was to get 200oz and ship it to my friend in Arizona for Baby C. Honestly, that was the most stressful part of the entire ordeal! She and I both called FedEx, researched, bought coolers, etc. It was such a hassle. Luckily we figured it out and it got there safe and completely frozen! I was so happy!

I sent 222oz of liquid gold and it was so rewarding. I loved doing it so much.

I'm still dairy and soy free. The mama I'm currently donating to has given breastfeeding her 1,000%. And I'm not kidding. She has done everything imaginable to help get her supply up for Baby C. My motivation was that she WAS trying her absolute hardest. She wasn't asking for my milk because it was easier. She was asking for help. My milk is supplemental to her nursing. She just needed that little extra to feed her baby. And I was so excited to help!

She's so close to being able to fully produce these days and I'm so happy for her. I've never known someone that was so dedicated to giving her baby the absolute best. I love it! I love breastfeeding!

My Second Milk Recipient

My sweet friend that donated to me when Lincoln was born had a sister with an April baby as well! We were all due within 3 days of each other! Talk about funny!

My donor's sister (S) had quite the roller coaster ride when her baby was born. He was home from the hospital a little over 2 weeks before they discovered a major heart problem. He was life flighted and had open heart surgery immediately. Things went well and he was on the road to recovery. Soon after, they discovered a second heart surgery was necessary. Two open heart surgeries in the first couple months of life. But he's a trooper!

This mama was so strong. She was trying her hardest to pump for baby T, but she had quite the disadvantage. A good supply is established in the first month of nursing. Nursing tells your body exactly what the baby will need. A pump can only do so much for production, especially if a baby isn't nursing. Baby T had to have every feed measured and every diaper weighed while in the hospital. They had to track his intake so carefully. That's nearly impossible to do with breastfeeding.

Baby T also wasn't able to nurse because his little body was already working so hard. Nursing would be too difficult for his mending heart. S has been pumping for Baby T every single day for almost 4 months. True dedication!

My milk donor was also a donor to her sister and Baby T. When A went back to work, she wasn't able to pump as much for her sister.

I had gone to the hospital to visit with the sisters quite a few times. I knew A was donating to S, so I casually offered to be a donor as well. Again, I knew the feeling of desperation for milk.

I recently became a donor for Baby T and it has made me so happy. I've never felt such joy from doing something so special for others. You can't put a price on the gift of milk. It is the best gift God has ever given me.

I was still pumping but hadn't counted the milk in my freezer in awhile. I had so much fun finding out I had over 1,000oz in my freezer! I had no idea! Baby T had plenty to eat for awhile.

I offered all of it to S for baby T. S recently expressed to me that she absolutely HATED having to ask people for milk. I reassured her that she'd never have to ask me again. Ever. Once that 1,000 oz runs out, I'll continue pumping as long as she needs.

Baby T, a heart baby, needs it now more than ever. Breast milk has such important components that are crucial for development and healing. If Baby T gets sick, he gets very sick. And recovery can be long scary.

S and Baby T aren't able to leave the house very often because of the risk of exposure, so I travel over an hour to deliver milk and hang out with my forever friend!

S is an amazing mother that wants the best thing for Baby T and I love her passion.

Milk Recipient 3

Pumping requires deduction to time and supply. I recently traveled to Georgia to visit my family. I couldn't stop pumping just for my trip, so I reached out to a local nonprofit organization that connects donors to mothers in need. I love social media!

I posted on the nonprofit's Facebook page that I would have milk available while I was in town. Flying back to Colorado with the milk would be a little bit of a hassle.

A sweet mother contacted me with her need. We chatted for awhile and starting sharing our stories and struggles with postpartum depression and a low milk supply. I struggled for about a month when Lincoln was about 10 weeks. It was so amazing that I was able to connect with this mother over Facebook!

I donated 75 ounces of the good stuff. She has had a few donors so her husband joked that her baby will be the healthiest! She's getting immunities from so many different places and people! I love it!

How amazing that we can meet strangers online, share something so important, then create a friendship. Babies really do make everything better!

I'm so excited that my milk donor and my recipients aren't just women I met once. They have truly become my best friends. My forever friends!

I'm so grateful God gave me the gift of giving something so important and priceless. I feel like it would be a waste if I didn't capitalize on my bovine attributes!

I'm so happy that I can do this for my friends (and sometimes strangers!). I know they are very grateful for it, but I am so grateful that I was given such an amazing opportunity! I'm paying it forward! I was given such a precious gift of milk when Lincoln was first born, so I'm more than happy to do the same.

I love my body, stretch marks and all. This flabby body not only gave me the gift of a beautiful baby boy, but it also gave me the gift of feeding Lincoln AND other babies! I love it so much!

I've coined a little saying during my donating days...

FEED ALL THE BABIES!