What do these four coolers have in common? (No, I didn’t tell Kaili to sit there. She saw me taking a picture and ran over to pose.)
They were all used when I recently made my first donation to the Mother’s Milk Bank of Ohio. Yes, you heard me correctly. (It’s exactly like a sperm bank, except you don’t get paid.)
They were all used when I recently made my first donation to the Mother’s Milk Bank of Ohio. Yes, you heard me correctly. (It’s exactly like a sperm bank, except you don’t get paid.)I didn’t even know milk banks existed until recently. Sara told me that she donated to the one here in Ohio and I decided to look into it since I had a freezer full of breast milk. The donated milk is given to preemies, sick babies, and a few adult cancer patients, all of which need a prescription to receive it. This may sound dumb, but I was adamant that the milk was not given to babies whose mom’s just didn’t want to breastfeed. If I was going to put so much work into pumping it, my milk was going to be used for a decent purpose.
After checking it out, I decided to become a donor. The whole process is really cool. First, they test your blood. When that’s approved, they collect, sort, thaw, test, pasteurize, bottle, and refreeze your milk so it can be shipped out.
I kid you not when I say that my entire chest freezer was full to the top with breast milk. It took me 2 hours and all four of those coolers, filled to the top, to transport my milk to the milk bank. After 4 months of hard work, it was almost sad to see it go.
A few days later, I received a phone call. I was told that there is a little girl that is going to be born next month in Florida. She is being adopted and needs dairy-free milk. Since I am on a dairy-free diet for Averi, my milk is going to be shipped to Florida for her and then to New England after she is adopted. As long as I continue to donate, she will be receiving my milk. How cool is that?! I had no idea that they would make the process so personal, and I am so grateful that they did.
A few days later, I received a phone call. I was told that there is a little girl that is going to be born next month in Florida. She is being adopted and needs dairy-free milk. Since I am on a dairy-free diet for Averi, my milk is going to be shipped to Florida for her and then to New England after she is adopted. As long as I continue to donate, she will be receiving my milk. How cool is that?! I had no idea that they would make the process so personal, and I am so grateful that they did.They also told me how much milk I donated. Are you ready…
GRAND TOTAL: 2193 ounces
That's over 17 GALLONS of breast milk!
Yeah, I'm a milk cow, drink your heart out!
12 comments:
Truly, a labor of love. That is you ... a frozen bag of dairy-free love!
Wow! So did you just pump it all to keep your milk supply with Averi?
I've always thought that milk banks were ridiculous since every mother makes milk for HER baby and what benefit would it have to other babies? But my eyes have been opened after hearing Sara talk about it and then reading this! Great job!
Holy crap!!! And I was proud of my 728 oz... That was certainly amazing of you to donate that milk! I know how it feels kind of sad to see it go. That is so cool you know where your milk is going!!
Tiffany that is so cool and very selfless. Is it weird to say that I am proud of you? Because I am.
I was amazed by this. It's so cool that you know where so much of your milk is going also. You are touching so many lives through this and I just think it's so awesome. That's a ton of milk by the way.
Thats so awesome. I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a breast milk bank! I wish I pumped that well!!! :) You're a great person!
WOW!!! You are amazing. I would have given up on the pumping a LONG time ago! What a woman!
Your mom the Lactation Consultant is very proud of her little girl - he he he!!!!! Got Milk??????
I am gonna say it again...you can't stop me...you are my hero, lady. Truly. Truly. Truly.
I love that Kaili ran to pose with the coolers. She is so beautiful and such a hoot.
Your mom cracks me up, "Got Milk?" is that still on her plates?
You are AWESOME! What a way to give, too! But, I'd like to know why it is that sperm donors get paid and milk donors don't. I mean we all know what a difficult task it is to produce sperm. ;P
That is some massive milk you've got goin' on there!! Kudos for not junking it because it would be totally easier. That is such a cool process. And I still can't get over how much milk you had...
think of all the ice cream you coulda made.... ;) LOL
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