Down the Drain...

The other day, I did something truly depressing. I dumped milk down the drain.

To many people, this isn't a big deal at all, but breastfeeding moms, and especially those feeding donated milk, feel a twinge of pain in the gut when they hear this. It's sad. Terribly sad. That milk could have fed some super cute and needy babies.

Oh, how very depressing...

In my case, that milk was part of a small stash I saved for my little one just in case we needed it when he was young. It was hanging out in my freezer for over a year. In a regular freezer, which this was, milk is good up to 3-4 months. Likely closer to 4 in mine since we keep it so cold, but regardless, 12 mo. is a far cry from four, so it was time for it to go. It's just that as a breastfeeding mom, it's hard to toss, even when it's been long expired.

Here's the kicker though, as a milk donor, this makes me feel a bit irresponsible. I really could have planned better, and had I had some forethought, I likely never would have been wasted. What I should have done, and what I'd suggest to any mom that pumps, for whatever reason, is to manage your stash and rotate stock. It'll avoid waste and hopefully help someone in the process.

If your stash is looking too big, or you have some milk that you may not be using in the next couple of months or so, see if there is a way to donate it. Pump some off to replenish your personal stash and donate the earlier milk to somewhere or someone where there is a higher likelihood of it being used. It's completely understandable to have milk as back-up. I'd recommend it to most breastfeeding moms because I'm just the type to want to plan for everything (though my execution is often lacking). By rotating your stock, you are sure to stretch the usefulness of your personal stash and you can help others. If your stash is larger and you get up to 100 oz., you can donate to a milk bank (more or less depending on their guidelines). The bank I donated to took 100 oz. as a minimum for only your first donation and after that you could bring as much or as little as you had. Every little bit counts, so if you brought in that first 100, then maintained a freezer stash of 20-25 oz., you could rotate every so often so you have the freshest supply and donate the milk that is still within date, but then it can go someplace where it will get used before it goes bad. If you find a local mom that can use it, they typically don't have minimums and will take any amount you have to give, so that's a great option to consider.

The aftermath

Now, a plan like this doesn't always work out, for example, I have some milk I pumped when I got sick a few times. That milk I saved for myself and wouldn't give to anyone but my own kid who was already exposed to the illness and antibodies through nursing during the illness. Certainly, that milk will stay in my stash until it expires. In most cases though, rotating your stash is a great option and doesn't take a huge commitment in many cases. Every little bit helps. You can be sure those babies appreciate it.