As a Milk Bank coordinator and hospital based LC, as well as a long time
L&D nurse, I have worked with many mothers in our NICU who have been
encouraged to pump,  many who were not even considering breastfeeding
prior to the birth of their premature or very ill infant.  Most of our
NICU moms pump even though we have a milk bank, because it is the
mother's milk that is best for their baby.  All of the staff encourage
pumping and even when a baby doesn't make it a lot of these moms want to
donate their milk to the milk bank for other babies.  They will call me
to say they want to donate, what do they have to do.  They have their
blood drawn, they fill out the copious amounts of paper work and give
milk already pumped and stored and some even wean from pumping (like you
would a baby) and donate that milk.  We even had a mother donate milk she
had stored in her freezer when her child was killed in a accident.
Everyone who donates to the milk bank does so because they feel if their
baby wasn't able to have the milk then some baby should benefit from the
"Liquid Gold."  It is very difficult to get through the grieving process
for anyone, but especially someone who loses a child and this is one way
for them to work their way through.  They all receive a thank you letter
and know that their milk was beneficial to someone in the memory of their
child.  Those who have babies that make it and thrive may go on to
breastfeed even though they never even considered it prior to the baby
being in NICU.  Our motto is pump for your baby, give him/her the best
chance there is, your milk.
Darlene Breed BS, RN, IBCLC
Coordinator, Milk Bank/Breastfeeding Center
Worcester, MA (USA)


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