Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Eats on Feets: 'cause babies luv the boob juice

Will you look at this baby?
I just love her.  And you know what she loves?  The boob juice.  Oh, it is her favorite.  She and I have been lucky enough to have a great boobage/baby relationship, in terms of supply and time and accessibility.  I am so grateful because I realize that this isn't the case for every mom who wants her baby to have breastmilk.  But until recently, I thought the only other option was formula.  Au contraire, mon amis!  Donor boob juice!  It's a real thing!

Enter my friend Emily, a fellow UD alum and breastfeeding mama of many, who works with a very cool private donor breastmilk organization called Eats on Feets.  When I read a facebook status update from her the other day, I knew I wanted to help her spread the word.  But I'm also lazy, you know?  Aha!  Emily can write the blog post FOR ME!  Winning.

So here's Emily, with all the stuff you need to know, complete with loud commentary by me in bold so you can know how hard it is to have a conversation with me in person...

To sum us up: we are a grassroots organization that believes every child has the right to breast milk regardless of the financial, medical, or personal issues of the parents. We help protect this right by facilitating connections between parents who can't breastfeed (or fully breastfeed) and those mothers who have extra breast milk to donate.

In my year with them, I have helped adoptive mothers (some with drug addicted babies) provide their infants with breast milk and seen them thrive. I've helped mothers, crushed with the despair of a failed breastfeeding relationship, find peace knowing their babies are still breastfed even if it's not from their breasts. I've helped mothers desperate because their children cannot tolerate any of the formulas find their way back to good health thanks to donor milk. I’ve stood in awe as breast cancer survivors defiantly insist that cancer will not deprive their infants of breast milk like it deprived them of their breasts. (here's where I'm starting to tear up, y'all) I've watched mothers who have suffered the loss of a baby continue to pump as a way to work through the grief process, and then joyfully cried with them as they recounted the comfort it brought to see their child's milk nourish another little life. I've personally experienced the blessed feeling of being able to share my abundance with those less fortunate. (okay.  full on cryin' now)

We are an international group with chapters all over the world, and while we acknowledge the potential risks, we strongly believe those risks can be managed through informed choice, mothers screening their donors, flash pasteurization, and following CDC storage guidelines (loving AND smart.  My two favorite things!). Also, while we see the benefits of milk banks, we also see the inherent problems in them. Only the smallest and sickest babies can get prescriptions for milk bank milk (note to self: learn more about milk banks, too); this eliminates many babies who still desperately need it. Milk bank milk costs around $4.00+ an ounce. With a 6 month old baby drinking 30 oz/day that simply isn't a realistic option for most families (ain't nobody got money fo' dat!).

(I ain't ashamed of mixin' memes.  All in the same post. No.  Not ashamed at all)

Many mothers want to donate, but don't meet milk bank requirements. For example, if her baby is over 6 months old, a mom can't donate.  Or if she's traveled to England in the last 10 years.  Or if she doesn't have at least 100 oz or more to give. This doesn't make her milk bad, and it’s a shame to see it go to waste.  (Milk Banks!  Y U no like my boob juice???) That's where we come in!

I am so excited to have you help us get the word out and if anyone has any questions please feel free to ask! People can also check our Facebook page or, better yet, like their local chapter page. If you have milk to donate, need milk, want to volunteer, or just want to support us in spirit, please stop on by. The more the word gets out, the more babies that benefit!


post signature
Pin It

27 comments :

  1. This is so awesome!! When my now 16-year old was a baby, I had to go back to work for about 6 months. I pumped, he nursed and drank my milk from a bottle. Apparently, though, I am a COW in the milk department and have enough milk to feed quadruplets with no problem. I kid you not. So, when I finally was able to stop working and stay home (my husband is awesome that way!) I had over 300 oz. in the freezer that my son never needed. I was pumping enough for bottles and freezing 6 - 8 oz extra a day. Again, COW. Back then, my only option was a breast milk bank (through Wake Medical in North Carolina), but I did the whole screening thing, packed up that liquid gold and sent it on to bless other babies. Best thing I ever did! So glad to hear about this amazing organization. What a blessing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting! I know about milk banks, but hadn't heard of this... will definitely learn more! And now, my shameless plug: find La Leche League, all ye with buns in the oven. Mamas who nurse, helping other mamas do the same. Awesome, and helpful to have support in place before the little bun arrives. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm so glad you posted about this! I'm a little offended that my (potential since I haven't given birth yet) breast milk isn't good enough for a milk bank (since I lived in England for a year and I've had cancer, I'm sure doesn't help either). But now I have my local chapter's page marked. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much for highlighting organizations like this.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a great cause! The US is in desperate need of more milk banks. In Brazil, where there are hundreds of milk banks and great access for mothers of all incomes, milk donation is actually integrated with the postal system so that you can give your milk along with the day's outgoing mail!

    (From what I understand, perhaps it's not quite as simple as that but I do know it's relatively easy to donate and the postal system is involved in coordinating delivery!)

    As a grad student in Maternal and Child Health, I am encouraged and excited by the work of this organization!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have no idea how hard I'm sobbing right now. When our Will was in NICU last year, he barely qualified for the Milk bank breast milk because we was "only 8 weeks early" and could "tolerate formula well". No matter what I did or how hard I tried, no matter that I had successfully exclusively breasted my previous 6 babies, I could not pump even 1/2 an ounce in a sitting, and most of the time only drops of milk. By the time we were getting ready to break him out of the hospital, they had taken away his donor milk and put him on formula. I was hysterical.
    A program like this one would have put my mind and heart at ease.
    We have to get the word out, because when you are stressed to the very limits of human existence (preemie in NICU, kids at home, recovering from childbirth/surgery) you do not have the brain power or energy to look for these resources.
    Thanks to both Dwija and Emily for all of this!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is a neat option! I encourage everyone to also not dismiss the wonderful work of milk banks. While many mothers don't qualify to donate (like myself, when I could have, I just didn't have enough stored), many other mothers do qualify, and have donated thousands upon thousands of ounces of milk. Hundreds of babies have benefited so greatly from the loving donations. Milk banks have stricter standards, partly due to being part of the "system" so to speak. They often--if not always--operate within a hospital setting. Their milk is lab-tested after pasteurization, and used with doctor's prescriptions. Often, the families are able to have their insurance companies help with cost (if I remember correctly. I used to work for a milk bank, 10+ years ago). While it can sting to realize not all can donate, it is a similar standard, you might say, as donating blood. Not all can donate blood, either, as willing as they may be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree that milk banks play a necessary role in getting breastmilk to needy babies; however, I don't feel the analogy to blood banks is completely apt. While it's true not everyone can donate blood, everyone can RECEIVE blood from a blood bank. The vast majority of babies do not qualify for milk bank milk and never will.
      Also, for some mothers, it's not a matter of feeling stung by the possible rejection from a milk bank, but rather they enjoy the chance to get to know the family and baby that receive their milk.
      We just want to be another viable option on the table!

      Delete
  8. Wow. Awesome and amazing and I was totally bawling along with you. My 17 month old is having some dental issues with her newly forming teeth decaying almost instantly when they come in. I took her to a pediatric dentist who automatically assured me it is from the sugar in my breast milk and I should stop breastfeeding immediately. The decision of when to stop nursing was something I have been struggling with since she turned one and it feels terrible to have the decision ripped from your grasp and then a heaping helping of mommy guilt tossed on top. He is the first person in the world to tell me breastfeeding is bad for my child. I have been consumed with grief over the whole issue and it is such a blessing to see that other mothers who maybe don't have the chance to make the decision to nurse or not to nurse have options for their babies. Even though my situation is nothing near as traumatic as that of others. Thanks for posting this!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dentists are not trained in breastfeeding issues at all and should not comment on breastfeeding. Dental caries are not caused by breastmilk. I highly suggest you contact your local chapter of LaLecheLeague for more info or, at least, peruse their vast online wealth of studies devoted to this specific issue.

      Delete
    2. Completely agree about dentists not being trained. Pediatricians are only required to take 1 day of breastfeeding instruction and so that's all most medical schools have built in (hence why they usually give absolutely crap breastfeeding advice). I doubt dentists are required to even take that much.

      Delete
    3. Our daughter also had tooth decay early on. One pediatric dentist said I should not breastfeed past 6 months (what!?) and I was adamant that I would continue to breastfeed as long as it was possible and mutually enjoyable for my daughter (she was about 12 months at the time) and I. Ain't nobody gonna tell me when to stop breastfeeding!! We saw another ped dentist who told me it's NOT the breast milk that decays the teeth, but normal sugars from foods. Some children just have weaker baby teeth.

      Try to wipe her teeth after every nursing session if you can. They might also be able to coat her teeth with a protective coating, like they do with adults. And in the end, if she needs dental work, it will be okay and not be because you breastfed her. It's likely even with formula she would have had the decay. How else do they explain some children having decay and others not, despite being breastfed? It's the teeth.

      Delete
    4. Thanks for the support, ladies! It was definitely a tough pill to swallow and I was miserable all afternoon yesterday second guessing myself after her appointment. She will have oral surgery once we get all the insurance stuff worked out for her hospitalization and the anesthesiologist. The crowns he will put on her front teeth will be completely out of pocket but the alternative is damage to her permanent teeth as well. Plus, who doesn't want their baby to have a perfect smile? Compounding the fear for a 17 month old undergoing surgery with the guilt of feeling like a choice you made to nurse contributed to the problem, was just a bit too much. I am feeling much better after distancing myself from the situation and after hearing your supportive comments. Thanks again!

      Delete
    5. I'm expecting my 9th and all my babies have had tooth decay from very early on, some quite extensive. I had an experience almost identical to yours with a pediatric dentist with one of the kids and left his office in tears. (And I refused to quit breastfeeding- the health of my daughter's teeth is only one small aspect of her overall health and well-being, and the only one with which the dentist is concerned, whereas I have the whole little person to consider and care for- not just a set of teeth.)

      With one of the others we went ahead with extensive dental work on those little baby teeth. What was left of the teeth decayed around the fillings. The experience was very traumatic all around, and completely futile in the end. With more recent babies, we've just left the teeth alone. If the decay ever gets to the point of abscess, pulling the tooth is a quick, easy procedure and much less traumatic than extensive dental work. Interestingly, my five year old has a mouth full of rotten teeth, but I've been giving him vitamin D and the decay has never progressed to the point of needing to pull any of the teeth. Coincidence? Maybe, but it's definitely worth a try- and the D is good for the developing permanent teeth, for sure, not to mention its other health benefits.

      Bottom line, though, is that the baby teeth did all fall out eventually to make way for beautiful, strong permanent teeth, and my kids all have the lasting benefits of extended breastfeeding. I have suspected that the weakness of the baby teeth, formed in utero, has to do with some kind of deficiency or something in my diet. With all the new evidence regarding vitamin D, I'm faithfully taking vit. D every day during this pregnancy and hoping maybe it will make a difference.

      I do urge you, though, to thoroughly research the risks of anesthesia, and consider all the implications of surgery for your baby and your family. In my experience, there are no health reasons for such drastic measures, and your baby will always be beautiful, even with imperfect teeth. And those teeth will be gone before you know it, to be replaced by beautiful adult teeth. Even if some orthodontia is necessary in future (which no one will be able to prove has anything to do with the decision to leave the baby teeth alone,) your child will be much better able to handle dental work as a pre-teen or teen when she can understand what's going on, is physically strong and well developed, and even has a personal stake in achieving that 'perfect smile'.

      Sorry for the length of this post. I feel your pain, and hope maybe sharing my experience may help a bit. These things seem so monumental when you're in the middle of them, but now that my oldest kid with rotten teeth is married with a daughter of her own (and a beautiful smile!), I wonder why I ever worried so much.

      Delete
  9. I'm going to have to look into this. I have rather large...ahem...baby feeders and the milk overage to prove it. They have been cumbersome all my life, but now they have finally found their calling!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fascinating read! I had no idea of the strict limitations on breast milk donation by the banks. Not judging one way or the other, just didn't know; especially the tidbit about traveling to England, say wah? Now I have to google to find out the reasoning! LOL

    Breastfeeding/pumping was my hill.to.die.on! As a guilt-laden working mother, I swore I would not feed my child formula. With #2, I did supplement and allowed myself forgiveness. Working full-time and pumping on a 15 minute "recess" or 30 minute "plan" time is not for the faint of heart! I truly understood why many of my teaching colleagues didn't even try to breastfeed.

    Of course, I just loved breastfeeding too much not to want that relationship with each of my babies. Fortunately for me, by the time #3 arrived I was no longer working outside of the home and pumping was a non-issue. Hell, I hated pumping so much by that time, that I didn't even pump to have bottles on hand for hubby or a sitter. Pumping with #1 just did me in and I hated it. My choice instead was to bring baby #3 with me everywhere! Feed on demand! LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has to do with possible exposure to mad cow!

      Delete
    2. That's a weird one - I'm not aware we've had any reported cases of CJD for much, much longer than that. Horsemeat, yes, but not CJD.

      Delete
  11. Thank you for this great post!
    And yeah, having lived in The Netherlands I can not donate breastmilk nor blood in the US :( The strange part of this is that no one ever told me I could be putting my own babies at risk by breastfeeding them. (insert sarcasm)

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great info, Dwija and Emily! Here in Korea we have chapters of Human Milk 4 Human Babies, which I believe is something similar? While I've always been able to satisfactorily nurse my own babes, I've never had overmuch to share, so I haven't donated. I think it's awesome that Eats for Feets provides such an invaluable service to mamas and babes. Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is freaking amazing! I'm sharing this with our Social Worker at my job :) We work a lot with underprivileged families. Thank you thank you thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I looked into EoF when I started running out of freezer space (I have around 2000 ounces in there right now), sadly there doesn't appear to be a good resource for my area (Spokane, Washington) and since I'm Diabetic and take Blood Pressure medication (and the occasional Ibuprofen for my carpel tunnel/trigger thumbs/DeQuervain's, no one feels my milk is "safe" for their babies. My baby will be 5 months old in a week and weighs over 18 pounds and was measured at 27.25" at his four month check-up though!

    So...we're buying another freezer because I'm pumping around 20 ounces a day and he only takes between 4 and 8 ounces by bottle each day...he eats from the source the rest of the time. This is after reducing my pumping to bedtime, middle of the night (while he's drinking his bottles, and one side in the morning before he gets up. Sometimes I get an extra pump or two in while he naps, but generally I'm down to pumping three times a day and still producing enough for twins!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! You super pumpers are so impressive! I have no problem nursing but I am a terrible pumper. I don't know what it is- something like performance anxiety or something? Kudos to you and your mountains of milk!

      Delete
    2. WhySayWhat -
      2,000 oz is amazing!!! We absolutely have an EoF chapter in Washington (https://www.facebook.com/#!/eatsonfeetswashington?fref=ts) and I would encourage you to try again. When posting you can ask the admin to include a link to lactmed in the comments. It's the official gov't which lists every drug and it's safety for breastfeeding. It's a very simple search engine where moms merely type the drug you say your on in the box and it's will give them all the relevant info on how safe it is for breastfed babies. If you would like to give them the link yourself when you privately communicate with the mothers the link is http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT
      Another source you can direct them to is the Infant Risk Hotline. It's run by Dr. Thomas Hale out of Texas Tech University and he's the leading authority on all things related to medications and breastfeeding. His book "Medications and Mothers' Milk" is the gold standard and is official reference for Le Leche League, the AAP, etc. The hotline is open M-F 8 to 5ct and they will answer any question regarding the safety of a medication while breastfeeding. Their number is (806)-352-2519. Hopefully between those two sources you will put a recipient's mind at ease enough to take your milk. Seriously, 2,000 oz is so much I don't think you'll have problems finding someone. There's also always the option to post on our main page (the link is the article) and ship it to someone (we of course allow donors to ask for reimbursement for shipping charges) or for that large of an amount people from neighboring states may be willing to drive. Sorry to ramble on, but I'd hate to see that much milk go to waste!

      Delete
  16. The next time I'm pregnant, I plan to donate. I could have easily fed triplets with The Crunchmeister.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...