I have two large rockmelons on the front of my body. They hold enough milk to feed quadruplets. Finn, as hungry as he is, cannot even make a dint in my supply. It just seems so unfair. There are all these Mums out there worried because they can't breast feed and their newborns won't be getting all those antibodies and other good stuff, and here am I about to go and have a shower and put a whole heap of milk down the drain. I have to, I'm in pain. Finn has just drunk solidly for 20 mins each side and my boobs are still so tight they're red, hot and hurting.
Blood banks are part of the scenery now and some hospitals even collect cord blood and store it for general use, when are they going to get the plot that a Bank of frozen breast milk wouldn't be a bad idea either. I'd happily sit at a pump once or twice a day to donate some excess milk, as I'm sure would any Mum with more than her fair share.
P.S. While on the subject ... Yesterday Euey picked up the little medicine cup sitting on my bedside table, took a swig and kept watching his movie. Will panicked, 'Euey, don't, that's medicine'. Nope, it was just a bit of breast milk I'd expressed to ease the pain, and Euey didn't even get the joke, he just said 'tastes like milk'.
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Sunday:
I just spoke to a midwife who said the Mercy Hospital for Women (where I am) is currently in the process of setting up a breast milk bank - the first in Australia. Unfortunately the existence of lawyers is making the process a bit slow!
2 comments:
george, they have milk banks over here at the hospitals for mothers that can't breast feed i was the same with laura as you are now expressing defo helps and you can freeze it
Many years ago there were breastmilk banks but they went by the wayside as a matter of cost, the testing to ensure safety was simply too expensive, here in Canada.
Congrats on your new little Finn!
And just a small piece of advice: stick a green cabbage leave inside your bra straight from the fridge. It will help relieve some of the pressure you are feeling. Toss the old leave and use a new one every few hours as necessary.
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