Milk Share

I dreamed and prayed about breastfeeding Millicent the entire time I was pregnant. So when my milk decreased, and she started losing weight at 3 months, I was beside myself. I tried everything anyone suggested to get my milk back up, to no avail. I resorted to using a supplemental nursing system. I was able to maintain my nursing relationship in an unusual way. Here is a picture of it:

Few understood why I continued. Why I wouldnt just use a bottle. But as I discussed earlier this week, nursing is about MORE than the milk. And I was fulfilling those things. Eventually she graduated from the SNS, and is still nursing.

When I was pregnant with Asa I prayed and prayed that God would fix whatever was wrong with me so that I could nurse my baby the way He created me to. So my heart broke, when at TWO weeks old, we realized that Asa had lost too much and I would need to supplement again. I was just heartbroken. He had lost below his birth weight and did not look good, or act as if he was well.

I'm not sure what caused the early nature of my milk decreasing with Asa, but it was probably due to the fact that he was born early. I was induced due to pre-eclampsia. He didnt nurse for the first few days, which is nothing to worry about. (Babies can go several days after birth without being fed. Which is why our bodies only make tiny amounts of colostrum.) But he never really got the hang of nursing. If it werent for Millicent nursing ALL the time I wouldnt have had any milk.

He stopped growing and lost weight. He had jaundice for about a month, due to the lack of milk entering and leaving his body. He cried all the time. He just wasnt doing that great. When I finally gave him a bottle, the formula made him even sicker. His stomach hurt so bad and he would just scream and scream.

I hated it! I hated that my body wouldnt work the way it was suppose to and that because of me he was suffering. He just looked sick and acted sick.

Through God's mercy alone, I found http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/ and its sister site: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MilkShare/ Milkshare is a mother to mother program that links mothers with excess milk to mothers who need it. I posted that I was seeking milk and the most amazing donor answered my plea. She had milk saved up and continued to pump for Asa, and still does. Her daughter had a medical condition that prohibited her being able to nurse, so she pumped for her, and now Asa. I cannot express my gratitude to her. We love her and will always be grateful. I know she thinks of Asa as she pumps on schedule for her little one and mine. Words do not speak enough.

Asa grew and grew and grew on her milk. HE IS SO BIG! Bigger than any of our other children. He continues to thrive and do well. She is almost done pumping, and she cannot keep up with him, so we are currently seeking another local donor. As funny as it sounds I feel like I'm cheating on her. I know, I know. But she means so much to me!

To read the other side of this go to: http://www.milkdonormama.blogspot.com Find out what Laura has to say about experiencing what it's like to donate.

If you have any questions about low milk, the SNS, milk share, or anything I have mentioned, please dont hesitate to ask. I would love to answer your questions.