As you may have seen from our most recent post, it’s World Breastfeeding Week– a week to celebrate the wonders of this important feat and how it significantly impacts every rising generation.
Breastmilk is a critical part of our work at Maddie’s Place, and we wish we had more of it to go around!
Did you know that breast-fed babies have far fewer digestive, lung, and ear infections? Or that it causes fewer long-term health problems?
Did you know that during breastfeeding, a mother’s body will produce milk that specifically meets the needs of their baby as they grow and develop?
For instance, research has shown that a woman breastfeeding in Alaska will produce milk with a higher fat content than a woman breastfeeding in Florida. Why? Well, the mother’s body, sensing the colder temperatures, creates fattier milk. This results in a chunkier baby who can withstand the cold! On the other hand, in Florida, the mother’s body, sensing the warmer climate, produces milk that will offer adequate hydration for the infant to withstand the hotter temperatures. Fascinating, right?
I could go on and on about the beauty of breastfeeding. There are many mind-shattering facts about what a mother’s body can do in safeguarding the life of their child. Because of their positive health benefits, breastfeeding is something we always encourage when a momma comes to Maddie’s Place. However, it’s not always possible.
Breastfeeding trouble could surface for many different reasons, one of which is their infant’s exposure to substances in the womb. Feeding dysregulation is one of the many symptoms of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, the medical term used to describe these infants. It is common for infants with NAS to struggle with their latch or to successfully coordinate their suck, swallow, breathe reflex, impacting their breast- or bottle-feeding experience.
At Maddie’s Place, we have options to help these mothers and infants in need. In addition to the loving support of fellow moms and the Maddie’s Place community, moms receive professional help from Empire Therapy, a clinic based in Spokane. When a mom is breastfeeding at Maddie’s Place, or trying to start, their lactation team comes in to offer them the support and guidance needed for any complications they might be having.
If an infant’s mother is unable to breastfeed or is not in the picture, Maddie’s Place keeps pasteurized breastmilk on hand. This milk comes from the Northwest Mother’s Milk Bank (NWMMB), the only nonprofit milk bank in the Pacific Northwest. Maddie’s Place has worked with NWMMB since we first opened our doors. They kindly donated a milk freezer and 300 oz of breastmilk to get us started, and we have been ordering from them ever since.
However, we simply cannot provide breastmilk for every baby that comes through our doors. This is because one ounce of breastmilk costs $5, forcing us to save our reserves for infants really struggling with digestion and weight gain. (For your personal reference, a newborn may take about 3.38 oz in a single feed. That’s $16.90 a bottle. If a baby eats every 3-4 hours, you are looking at $101.40-$135.20 worth of breastmilk every day for one baby).
We are so grateful for the breastmilk that we do have because of the milestones it helps our babies reach in their recovery journeys. Whether it’s a premature infant on formula struggling to gain weight or an infant with severe intestinal distress, the donated breastmilk paves the way for these babies to get their strength up before we transition them back to formula, the more financially sustainable option.
All in all, breastmilk from a Maddie’s momma or from a donation has helped change the lives of infants struggling from substance exposure in the womb. Breastfeeding amidst our moms has created joy and community as everyone works together to find creative ways to produce lactation and further promote bonding with their babies.
So, as World Breastfeeding Week continues, I encourage you to ponder the wonders of breastfeeding and admire the strength and tenacity of every mom on their unique journeys with their babies.
Questions? Suggestions? Email me at emma.jones@maddiesplace.org.
This blog was posted on August 2, 2024.