Regardless of how one feeds their baby, it is a lot of work. Sometimes we choose how our baby is fed. Sometimes we don't. I only exclusively breastfed Liam for 5 days. When it became clear I wasn't going to be able to meet his nutritional needs then came the question of what do we supplement with.
At first we gave him Enfamil Premium samples we'd received in the mail. All those comments I had made about getting this crap out of our house were served some serious, humble pie when in desperation I asked Patrick to get the formula from the garage at 2:30 am our second night home.
My midwife sourced some donated breast milk for us from another birth center mom who also ended up with a c-section. She was not able to nurse but had a tremendous supply via exclusive pumping. We started emailing, and she was a great support since she knew how I was feeling and what I was going through with my birth experience.
I was able to feed Liam about 50% of the time with her breast milk, so I started looking into homemade formula. In the mean time, we were feeding him Earth's Best Organic formula. Our lactation consultant told me about the Weston A. Price formula recipe. I believed it was a better option than organic formula, but I was completely overwhelmed by the time commitment. You have to make batches of formula everyday. It's not recommended to make large batches in advance and freeze them for later use. I didn't have the emotional capacity to take that on in those early PP days/weeks/months.
I learned about Eats on Feet and Human Milk 4 Human Babies. Both are facebook groups that provide a place for moms with extra breast milk to share with moms who, for whatever reason, are unable to provide enough of their own milk for their babies. I was reluctant to source milk this way at first because I wasn't sure about getting it from strangers. However, I felt very passionate about feeding Liam breast milk even if it wasn't mine.
Through both of these groups, I've connected with a lot of mamas who have shared their liquid gold with us. A wonderful LLL leader also helped me source donations, which has been a huge help. I saw how much better Liam did on breast milk vs formula, so I became committed to trying to feed him 100% breast milk whether it was the little bit I pumped or from another mama. Patrick and I feel a sense of excitement and relief when we stock up our freezer after a pick up. I've become a breast milk sourcin' networkin' feign!
I have been so amazed and humbled at the generosity of these women. Sometimes it's hard to explain to people what we feed Liam if they ask, but I answer honestly and openly. No, I was not able to breastfeed. Yes, I have a very tiny supply. Yes, we feed him donated breast milk that comes from other mamas.
One thing is for sure; the bond of mamahood is fierce y'all. Yes, there is a lot of negativity out there about "mommy wars," but what I have experienced has been beautiful, bold, and uplifting. The gift I have received by so many women has given me peace in my own grief of not being able to breastfeed. I have no doubt if we have another baby and I find myself in the same situation, I will absolutely go the donated breast milk route again.
If you're interested in learning more about milk sharing, you can go here and here.
:)
ReplyDelete<3
Delete