OF PUMPS AND CRIBS

"If you have extra stored breastmilk, would you sell it and for how much?"

This was one of the survey questions posted in an online community of breastfeeding moms. But this is not a hypothetical question, at least not for me. 

A month after I went back to work, my ref looked like this:

My weekday routine of at least 3 pumping sessions during office hours and an occasional fourth one at night paid off. With so much stash of breastmilk, I could afford to share some. Selling is out of the question. I'm not comfortable with the idea of making money out of something that I did mainly for the love of my baby.

But the question is, to whom should I give Basti's extra milk?

Then I learned about CRIBS (Create Responsive Infants by Sharing), a foundation that provides alternative home environment for abandoned, surrendered and neglected children aged days old to 2 ½ years old. Upon inquiry, I was informed that they do accept breastmilk for three premature babies who are about the same age as Basti.

And so one weekend before going to church, the entire family (with my husband as the driver and all the kids in tow) went to CRIBS

to share about 60 ounces of breastmilk.

My 7-year old daughter was perplexed. She could not understand why the babies at CRIBS needed Basti's extra breastmilk. "Don't they have their own mothers", she asked.  

I realized that in sharing what has been freely (and may I say overflowingly) given, I received more--an opportunity to raise my older children's social awareness and hopefully, inculcate in them social responsibility.

And so for 2011, I have added something to my list of personal commitments--do that extra and fourth pump for the abandoned babies at CRIBS.

PS.  Two weeks after my initial donation, I was able to share another 60 ounces of breastmilk.