The Milk of Human Kindness . . .
Written by Molly Wade for the Catholic Community Fund (CCF)
Coined by Shakespeare in Macbeth (1:5), “the milk of human kindness” refers to an innate sense of compassion, a “condition” that is most certainly being fostered by Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast in Newton.
A recipient of a 2024 Catholic Health Foundation grant, this nonprofit milk bank was founded in 2006 to provide equitable access to safe pasteurized donor human milk. In critical situations such as when a newborn baby is born prematurely and his mother’s milk supply has not yet developed, donated breast milk becomes, quite literally, a life saver . . .
Sophie stared at her tiny baby as he lay barely moving in the small incubator. Weighing only 1lb. 6oz., her infant son hardly seemed real. She used the back of her sleeve to wipe away fresh tears as she launched pleas into the universe that she wouldn’t lose her precious little boy. Two days earlier, when her OB/GYN decided it was necessary to induce her due to a dangerous medical condition, she knew there was a risk that Daniel wouldn’t survive. Looking at him, she thought it almost impossible that he could be alive. He looked so delicate, so fragile.
Because Sophie’s milk supply was slow to develop due to the preterm birth, Daniel received donor milk from Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast for his first few days of life. Sophie had never heard of the organization before the hospital staff mentioned it. Now, she couldn’t be more grateful. This milk was nourishing Daniel while the medical staff cared for him.
Got milk?
It is not uncommon for medical professionals – nurses, lactation consultants, etc. – to meet a mother with an oversupply of breastmilk. When this happens, they refer her to Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast. The reasons for donating vary. Some mothers have been recipients of donated milk and want to give back to the organization. Others have weaned their own babies but continue to pump for the sole purpose of donating and helping other families.
It is a way for women – mothers – to help one another in a very meaningful way. “Donated milk provides not only physical nutrition for the baby but emotional support for parents,” says CEO Debroah Youngblood. “It can offer mothers hope in very dark times. And for our donor moms, it is also very beneficial. They feel like they’re doing something helpful for another mother who, for whatever reason, isn’t able to produce enough milk for her child.”
Donated milk is screened through a comprehensive donor vetting process. Detailed medical and lifestyle histories are obtained, and blood tests are processed to ensure no harmful viruses are passed along to the babies. “These are mandatory procedures and protocols,” says Youngblood, “that are required for our accreditation to ensure that milk is ethically sourced and meets all health regulations and standards.”
One tree, many branches . . .
No two journeys to donating or receiving breastmilk are ever the same. “One time, we had a widower come in whose wife had passed away during childbirth,” says Youngblood. “He wanted the baby to have some human milk. Breastfeeding their child was his wife’s plan, so donor milk provided comfort during a very painful time.”
“Another time, a mother gave birth prematurely to twins, and they both desperately needed human milk to survive. In this case, donor milk acted as a ‘bridge’ until the mother was able to breastfeed. Donor milk is never a long-term feeding plan.”
In many ways, Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast is like a tree of life whose many branches nourish and sustain budding lives that begin extra delicately. Donor milk helps babies blossom into healthy, fully developed young children. But the roots of this organization are deeply embedded in compassion.
Finding light in the shadow of loss . . .
The milk bank works with mothers who have lost their babies. When a baby dies, either at birth or in infancy, one of the most heartbreaking things is that milk supply doesn’t just stop. “Her milk still comes in,” explains Youngblood. “The mother has the option to stop her flow quickly or to donate the milk.” Grief manifests itself in different ways. Some bereaved mothers find donating their breastmilk is a way to turn their despair into a source of hope for someone else. Much like organ donation, a mother who donates her breastmilk is comforted by knowing that another baby’s life is being enriched.
As a symbol of this Bereaved Family Program, there hangs in the office a quilt on which is stitched a large tree. Every leaf on the tree bears the name of a baby who passed and serves as a tribute to the mother who donated her breastmilk in honor of her infant.
“I have spent a lot of time with a lot of moms in this program,” shares Youngblood. “They feel so strongly about giving this gift. In a time of great pain and sorrow, they gain some solace in knowing that the milk meant for their son or daughter is helping to feed other babies. They’re proud and grateful to be helping other babies grow and live.”
This is the milk of human kindness . . .
Youngblood explains that, as a nonprofit organization, no donor is paid. “We don’t want anyone to have an incentive to sell milk which their own baby needs. We’re making sure that the only reason to give is the desire to help other families.”
Donated breastmilk is a precious gift from which flows the ultimate source of kindness: the gift of life.
“What thou art promised: yet do I fear they nature; It is too full o’ the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way.” – Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 5
