Mother donates 6,000 ounces of breast milk to Omaha toddler, As a mother of two, Andrea Kirby chose to breastfeed both of her children. She now expresses milk for her 8-month-old daughter in addition to nursing, to ensure she'll always have a supply on hand.
"You know, it's funny," Kirby said. "I didn't think I was going to have enough!"
But Kirby now has an estimated 44 gallons of frozen breast milk in a freezer in her garage.
Baby Londyn drinks about 24 ounces a day at day care, and at that rate, the girl will be a toddler before she even makes a dent in the family's stash.
"I noticed we are just now using January's milk," said Kirby. "Breast milk, they say, can last in the deep freeze six to eight months, so we are getting close. I would hate to see this go to waste. It's a lot of hard work, and I'd really like to see it go to someone who needs it."
Kirby contacted KETV's 7 Can Help, hoping to find one or several families who needed or wanted breast milk for their children. She also posted a message on her Facebook page before connecting with 2-year old Ella Peters' family.
Ella, who has spinal muscular atrophy, zooms around her Omaha home in pigtails, using what little strength she has to direct her wheelchair with a joystick. "She was diagnosed with SMA at 1 year old, and doctors told us she wouldn't live to be 2 years old," said Ella's mother, Jen Peters. Peters said breast milk helps Ella gain weight and strength.
"Also, the antibodies in breast milk really help her stay healthy because the common cold for her can be a life-threatening situation," said Peters.
Peters, who started a Caring Bridge site for Ella shortly after her diagnosis, recently heard from a high school classmate about Kirby's supply of breast milk.
"It was like a gift from God," said Peters.
While fate and the Internet worked great for these families, Children's Hospital and Medical Center suggests using a milk bank to donate and find breast milk.
"Truly, going through a milk bank is safe, because all of the donors have been screened," said lactation consultant and Children's nurse Christi Schill.
Children's works with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. Mothers donating milk are screened through a five-minute phone interview and a blood test to check for anything that could be transmitted through milk. The bank will even pay for shipping for donors who can't get their milk to the nearest drop-off site in the metro, Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. The milk is then pasteurized to eliminate bacteria and tested again before it is distributed.
Donated milk isn't cheap for those who wish to use it. Schill said it can run $3.50 to $4.50 per ounce, and you need a prescription from a doctor to get it.
Schill said the process is so safe, Children's even uses HMBANA milk for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"You really have to be cautious," said Schill. "Talk to your health care provider about the safest thing for your baby."
Peters, who is also a maternal child home nurse, said she only accepts milk from friends or friends of friends. She adds that she asks the donating mother a lot of questions to make sure the milk is safe, and she advises any parent using donated milk to be an advocate for their child.
Peters said she's already since a difference in Ella since she started using the donated milk. "Since it's been every day, she's been packing on those pounds," said Peters, who encourages any mother who is able to donate extra milk.
"If you have any extra milk, find some way to get it out there," said Peters. "Doctors' offices, your friends, hospitals. There are tons of kids who could benefit from that perfect milk."
Kirby, who is not charging the Peters family anything for her milk, said she couldn't have found a better candidate than Ella for her milk.
For more information about Ella Peters or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, visit Ella's Caring Bridge site.
For more information about donating or finding breast milk, visit HMBANA.org or talk to your doctor.
"You know, it's funny," Kirby said. "I didn't think I was going to have enough!"
But Kirby now has an estimated 44 gallons of frozen breast milk in a freezer in her garage.
Baby Londyn drinks about 24 ounces a day at day care, and at that rate, the girl will be a toddler before she even makes a dent in the family's stash.
"I noticed we are just now using January's milk," said Kirby. "Breast milk, they say, can last in the deep freeze six to eight months, so we are getting close. I would hate to see this go to waste. It's a lot of hard work, and I'd really like to see it go to someone who needs it."
Kirby contacted KETV's 7 Can Help, hoping to find one or several families who needed or wanted breast milk for their children. She also posted a message on her Facebook page before connecting with 2-year old Ella Peters' family.
Ella, who has spinal muscular atrophy, zooms around her Omaha home in pigtails, using what little strength she has to direct her wheelchair with a joystick. "She was diagnosed with SMA at 1 year old, and doctors told us she wouldn't live to be 2 years old," said Ella's mother, Jen Peters. Peters said breast milk helps Ella gain weight and strength.
"Also, the antibodies in breast milk really help her stay healthy because the common cold for her can be a life-threatening situation," said Peters.
Peters, who started a Caring Bridge site for Ella shortly after her diagnosis, recently heard from a high school classmate about Kirby's supply of breast milk.
"It was like a gift from God," said Peters.
While fate and the Internet worked great for these families, Children's Hospital and Medical Center suggests using a milk bank to donate and find breast milk.
"Truly, going through a milk bank is safe, because all of the donors have been screened," said lactation consultant and Children's nurse Christi Schill.
Children's works with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. Mothers donating milk are screened through a five-minute phone interview and a blood test to check for anything that could be transmitted through milk. The bank will even pay for shipping for donors who can't get their milk to the nearest drop-off site in the metro, Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs. The milk is then pasteurized to eliminate bacteria and tested again before it is distributed.
Donated milk isn't cheap for those who wish to use it. Schill said it can run $3.50 to $4.50 per ounce, and you need a prescription from a doctor to get it.
Schill said the process is so safe, Children's even uses HMBANA milk for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"You really have to be cautious," said Schill. "Talk to your health care provider about the safest thing for your baby."
Peters, who is also a maternal child home nurse, said she only accepts milk from friends or friends of friends. She adds that she asks the donating mother a lot of questions to make sure the milk is safe, and she advises any parent using donated milk to be an advocate for their child.
Peters said she's already since a difference in Ella since she started using the donated milk. "Since it's been every day, she's been packing on those pounds," said Peters, who encourages any mother who is able to donate extra milk.
"If you have any extra milk, find some way to get it out there," said Peters. "Doctors' offices, your friends, hospitals. There are tons of kids who could benefit from that perfect milk."
Kirby, who is not charging the Peters family anything for her milk, said she couldn't have found a better candidate than Ella for her milk.
For more information about Ella Peters or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, visit Ella's Caring Bridge site.
For more information about donating or finding breast milk, visit HMBANA.org or talk to your doctor.
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