Milk pick up 101

One thing I am really thankful for are my milk donors, whom I will consider my lifelong friends. It's hilarious how the milk hand-offs have happened for us. It's very comical, to say the least. A friend, we will call her "K", was an hour or two away from Chapel Hill, but she expressed that she wanted to donate milk to Alexander. Of course I said Yes! Any who, this is how it all went down. On a Sunday around 10:00 PM (lol!), my brother and I drove down a street in Durham to meet K's sister and brother-in-law my. We got out, they opened their Trek and pulled out a cooler, hah! Ethan and I were like, "Oh my Gosh!" This is amazing and of course I started crying and hugged K's sister, who I had never met before this milk exchange. We put the cooler in our trunk, said "thank you" and drove away. Ethan and I laughed the whole ride home because of how crazy I am and how stinking blessed my baby is that we have the option to keep him on donor milk. As I look up the Facebook pages that help out mothers that are in need of milk it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart because I know how precious these mothers care and truly want the best for their babies; and how they will do anything to provide that. Even if that means to drive hours away to pick up milk for their babes. This morning, Ethan and I had another adventurous milk pick-up. It was actually a really relaxed, in-and-out pick up with a friend. We met at a Starbucks, I got a decaf latte and picked up the milk. We chatted a bit about my story and her birth story. Her little girl was delivered by the same midwife that delivered Davidson and she LOVES Womack just as much as I loathe it! On a side note, I really want to blast away a post about Womack but I won't. I will hold my tongue and move on. Although, I will say that the first thing I am asking all the doctors that I'm interviewing for a PCP if a woman comes in who is 25 weeks pregnant with fever, vomiting and excruciating pain in her right side, what is the first thing you would do?! I'm still a little Bitter Betty over here.

 

Anyway, if you are interested in donating milk, or if you need donor milk yourself, google "eats on feets" and "human milk 4 human babies". Both have chapters in every state and all the mamas are so awesome! Also visit www.kellymom.com for the most up to date information on pumping, storing and donating guidelines to keep milk sharing safe and sanitary.