When our daughter Ruth arrived 7 weeks early, we were thrust into a world we hadn’t anticipated. While I was recovering from severe pre-eclampsia, Ruth was in the NICU, so small and vulnerable. It was a challenging time for our family, but one of the things that brought us comfort was the availability of donated human milk. Knowing that other mothers and babies had generously provided the nourishment Ruth needed during her first fragile week was an incredible gift.
As I began to recover and was able to start pumping, my milk supply outpaced the needs of our tiny preemie. While Ruth thrived on my milk during her long NICU stay and beyond, we also began to build a significant freezer stash. Pumping became a family affair, with my husband fully involved as a partner in the work of exclusively pumping. It wasn’t just about nourishing our baby—it was about coming together as a team to make sure Ruth got everything she needed.
What made the experience even more meaningful was how full circle it felt to donate back to the milk bank that had first fed Ruth. Being able to give back, to provide other fragile babies with the same life-saving nourishment that had sustained our daughter, was incredibly healing. We were honored to both receive and give the gift of liquid gold.
For us, milk donation has been about paying it forward. We will always be grateful for the generosity of the mothers who helped nourish Ruth during such a critical time in her life. Now, it’s a privilege to help other families by donating my milk through Mothers’ Milk Bank California.
– Kelly, A Grateful Mother and Donor