Please read Part I and Part II of this three part series first!
Once I came to the realization that Caleb would not be drinking my milk, I had to make a decision. What do I do with all of this milk? I couldn't throw it away. I just couldn't. The thought of throwing it away made me want to vomit. So what else could I do? I tried mixing it with formula trying to cover up the bad taste, but even with just an ounce of formula in a five ounce bottle, Caleb refused to drink it. That idea wouldn't work either it seemed. After reading
Rebekah's post on becoming a milk donor, I realized this might be the best option.
I started researching how to donate. I called the pediatricians office, the hospital, and researched online. I found out that there wasn't anywhere in the state of Tennessee that would take my milk. The closest milk donation facility was in North Carolina. My heart sank yet again because I could only imagine how much money it would cost to pack up and ship almost 1600 ounces of milk overnight to North Carolina. I called the milk bank that week and started speaking with the caring staff member on the other end of the line. My heart was put at ease immediately.
I learned that shipping would be no cost to me, but more than that, I was at ease knowing what my milk would go toward. The employee of
WakeMed Mother's Milk Bank explained to me that babies that were premature and/or sick would be getting my milk to try and improve their conditions. There are nutrients in breast milk that in spite of how hard companies try, can not be re-produced into formula. Because of this, it's in high demand by such babies. My heart melted knowing that my milk might be a part of saving a life.
I looked over at my healthy and happy six month old son and thought how selfish of me to want to keep all of this milk for him when another baby out there needed it more. I was finally at ease and the process started. While I was on the phone with WakeMed, the lady explained to me that a medical packet of information would be sent to me to fill out and that once they got that information, they would start the process of getting my milk. The lady asked how much milk I had to donate and I told her around 1600 ounces. She asked me to repeat myself! I did. She was blown away. She decided to go ahead and process some of my information over the phone instead of waiting. I guess they didn't want any chance of losing me or my milk! I answered a few questions and then a few days later I got my medical packet.
Let's just say a few trees had to die in order to send me this medical packet. It was a pretty thick packet. I got asked some of the most random questions, but I guess they all serve a purpose somewhere. No, I did not have sexual relations with anyone that lived in an African country during the years of 1978 and 1986. I'm just making this question up, but trust me that some of them were this silly.
To complete the medical packet, I had to have my blood drawn. I used to be afraid of needles, and they're still not my favorite thing, but after having a kid you sort of get over people sticking you. I mean, I had a needle the size of a drinking straw stuck in my back for my epidural, so I guess this teeny tiny one was no biggie. I guess everything came back great because I got to start the next phase! Actually shipping the milk!
I ended up having so much milk that I had three different shipments!
Shipment #1
Shipment #2
Shipment #3
A few weeks after I completed my shipments I got this nice certificate of appreciation that stated I donated 1604 ounces (even though I know it was less than that. The lady told me I donated 1555 ounces when I called after my last shipment).
So, I went from two deep freezers full of breast milk to Similac and baby food.
All in all, it was a hard thing to do. However, I know that some little baby somewhere benefited from my hard work, even if it wasn't my little baby. I'm perfectly ok with this. I encourage women everywhere to consider donating breast milk if they have the ability. It could make the difference between life and death for a very small miracle. It's sort of a funny thing. I only bought formula for about a month after Caleb made the switch. Similac had a recall of their powder formula and because of this they sent out coupons for $5.00 off any Similac formula. Let's just say I had enough of these coupons through friends and family giving them to me that I haven't paid for formula ever since. Now that Caleb is one year old, I can make the switch to whole cow's milk. Let's just say, I saved a lot of money with those coupons.....
I know God had a plan all along. His plan was so much better than mine.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
R
