Hi everyone! I'm back following a six month break. I've been lurking awhile
and trying to get back into the habit of reading, saving, and deleting.
Several days ago there was a post concerning a mother who had saved a large
quanity of milk for an infant who died.
I have had this happen (so tragically) several times in my practice. In each
case the milk bank the mother contacted was unable to accept her milk due to
collection guidelines, etc.
I think it is emotionally hard to just flush the milk down the sink. The
mothers I worked with took my suggestion to incorporate their milk or some of
it into their greiving ceremony for the baby. Suggestions included things one
might do with ashes of a loved one. Watering a tree planted in remembrance,
pouring into a stream, or some similar ceremonial ending seems more healing
than the sink. Mothers are often more than a liitle emotionally invested into
those tiny bottles of her love for her baby.
                                                                         From
cold and dreary Florida!


                                                                        Debby
Kearney IBCLC