Donor Milk (again!)

For the last couple of weeks, I've been feeling called to get less formula into Lola, if not get her completely off of it. But I'd been stumped on how to do it. I tried giving her more solids, but that just led to acidic poop and diaper rash, and it really didn't decrease the amount of formula she was taking. And, until a few days ago, she wasn't taking in any other liquids, and I was worried about dehydration. I finally figured out that the sippy cup just wasn't going to happen, but she drinks well through a straw.

The answer came to me last week, after the nurse-in at Target.

Good turn out and the nurse-in!

Nursing at the nurse-in.

I talked to a couple of the moms there, and they inspired me to give donated breast milk another shot. It wasn't that I didn't like the idea of donor milk, it was that Lola didn't like breast milk once it took on the fresh-mowed-grass flavor of lipase. If you're not familiar with the term, you can read more about it here:  http://simplyrebekah.com/2010/03/17/excess-lipase-an-introduction/

I, too, have excess lipase in my milk, and after just a few hours in the fridge, it takes on the grassy-flavor.

So, fresh milk is the answer. Or, at least, milk without excess lipase.

I put out a call for fresh milk or wet-nursing on some local parenting groups, and my local Human Milk 4 Human Babies board, and I got a few replies!

A local mom with a 7 week old baby has started pumping for me! Sure, it may not be a perfect match, age-wise, but her milk stays fresh and sweet smelling for as long as she and I store it! Lola gobbles it up. And it's human milk, intended to be consumed by human babies. Good enough for us!

I think any mom who donates her precious milk is amazing. I think a mom who takes time out of her busy day, *just* to pump for my baby deserves a freakin' MEDAL. It's amazing, and humbling. And, besides milk, I've made a new awesome friend in the bargain. Can't top that!

So, I've found exactly what I was looking for. Any extra breast milk my baby consumes is such a blessing!