In 2017, when I was pregnant with my first son, I took a class at WIC and was completely amazed by what the body can do, especially with breastfeeding and pregnancy. I will be forever grateful to WIC for all the help they gave me. I was determined to breastfeed because of that class, and I did.
A freezer full of milk
When my son started to sleep through the night, I began pumping in the morning for relief, and suddenly my freezer was full. We are from New York, and we were in the process of moving to Connecticut. I did not want to bring the milk on the move because I thought it would go bad, so I decided to donate it to the New York Milk Bank. It was such a fulfilling experience and I always carried that with me.
Now, in 2021, I had my second son. Breastfeeding was not as magical as the first time because I had to pump immediately in the hospital while my son underwent blue light therapy for jaundice. Because of our rough start, I was even more determined to breastfeed. When we got home, we settled into our new normal, pumping and nursing. Soon my freezer got full again and I knew exactly what I needed to do.
Learning about sharing his brother’s milk
I was so happy to donate and go through the screening process because I knew I was setting a good example of what it is like to give back for my sons. My three-year-old watches me pump every morning and is so curious and loves to help. He always asks if this is “Teddy’s milk or the little baby’s milk.” I love having this bonding moment with him every morning, because I get to teach him what a woman’s body is capable of, and also a valuable lesson on sharing. I learned so much about myself and my body and my baby in this new experience of pumping and not just exclusively breastfeeding.
Soon after, I made the choice to begin my new career as a lactation counselor. I cannot wait to help mothers on this beautiful journey and help them appreciate all the magical benefits of breast milk. Because breast milk IS magic.
Teddy has donated about 900 oz so far and loves sharing and Tommy loves observing 🙂
