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It’s cliché but true: Everyone’s journey in parenting, including infant feeding, is different. Some choose to breastfeed. Others choose not to. Either decision is perfectly acceptable, it all comes down to what’s best for each family.
Likewise, everyone’s body is different, and that includes how much milk a breastfeeding person can produce. Some people are unable to produce enough milk, while others have it in abundance, including a mom on Reddit who exclusively breastfeeds and produces more than her four-month-old daughter needs. She uses the extra milk to create a reserve.
No big deal, right? But apparently her sister, who is also a new mom, thinks that’s a problem. Then the whole family got involved, and now it’s very important.
“Recently [my daughter] couldn’t take the left breast and I pumped on that side so I have a decent supply of milk, ”u / tossmeaway48 wrote in the IATA subreddit. “My sister also recently had a baby and decided not to breastfeed (which I support. Fed is best.).”
The poster later explained that her sister decided not to breastfeed because she didn’t want her breasts to sag. And you know what? It’s good, his body, his choice. The formula is a completely nutritious option. It’s also expensive, and the Redditor’s sister noticed it.
“She came over one day and asked if she could take my breast milk,” the poster continues. “She decided the formula was too expensive and that she would just take my breast milk which I pump. I told her no… I was saving it in case the little girl had problems latching on again, or if I’m not there and she needs to be fed. “
And then the conversation turned sour.
“My sister panicked and told me I didn’t need that much and that I could always pump more, so giving her what I’ve pumped so far wouldn’t matter.” , said the poster. “We had a fight for a while and she got our parents involved. Now it has become a family issue and people who disagree have blown up my phone.”
She wanted to know, “Am I being unreasonable?
The post hasn’t even been published for 24 hours and has already racked up over 1.2,000 comments. And Reddit’s verdict came quickly (and without much deliberation): the original poster (OP) is absolutely not being unreasonable.
“Imagine if OP didn’t have a newborn at the same time as her sister. Would she feel entitled to have breast milk from those around her? … How ridiculous and selfish,” replied one of the main commentators.
“Your sister clearly doesn’t understand how physically demanding and time-consuming it is to breastfeed and pump a supply. She is not entitled to the milk you have collected from your body for your own daughter,” someone wrote. one else.
“It’s so weird. I breastfed three children. Puffing and storing milk is HARD. It takes so much time and effort. Asking someone to give it is like asking someone. to give tables or hours and hours of work, “he added. said another.
I personally feel the last two comments. I also had an oversupply with my son. Although I stopped expressing my milk shortly after his first birthday, he will receive his last ounces of breast milk later this week at 18.5 months old. I worked hard to make this milk, and I made it for him.
I considered donating, but the FDA advises against using milk acquired from someone online because it potentially exposes the infant to issues such as HIV and street drugs. I have no problem with either, but felt uncomfortable contributing to something the FDA was not recommending. I also did not know of any local hospitals that took breast milk. And frankly, my body made this milk, and it was my choice to give it only to my son.
If you have excess breast milk, here are some things you can do with it:
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Find a reputable milk bank and donate it. Some milk banks, such as those in hospitals, select donors to safely collect and test breast milk.
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Find a peer-to-peer group. Although not recommended by the FDA, it is not illegal to donate to peers. People who breastfeed and donate probably have the best interests of other babies at heart. Facebook groups, like Human Milk 4 Human Babies, allow people to post information about the extra milk they need or need.
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Put it in the freezer and give it to your baby. The CDC says you can store breast milk at temperatures of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for up to 12 months (although six months or less is best).
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Give baby a milk bath. Put some breast milk in a tub. While there is little research on this, experts say milk baths could treat conditions like baby acne and dry skin.
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