I just finished packing up my 6th box of donated breast milk since I first became a donor, and I felt like it was time to share my story! I started donating milk after my second child was born, Etienne, in February 2024. I wanted to donate breastmilk when I was breastfeeding my daughter (now 3.5 yo), but at the time it felt overwhelming and complicated. I wish I knew then how easy it really is! It’s a privilege and an honor for me to donate my milk. During these difficult times, with so much suffering in the world, I often feel incapacitated, unable to make a difference. For me, donating my breastmilk is one small way that I can make a difference for others and, I hope, leave a positive impact on the world.

Nursing my son over the past 14+ months has been a truly empowering experience. It is a moment of bonding, when we can both slow down and appreciate being together. It helps me to feel connected to him and, in a way, to mothers and caregivers around the world, doing the essential yet often overlooked work of caring for our most vulnerable little humans.

I never thought that I would be able to become a milk donor. I was constantly worried about my supply, particularly after my first pregnancy. A friend of mine mentioned that she added an extra pump to her day to save up a supply for when she returned to work. I thought that was a good idea and gave it a try. Soon, I realized that I had more than enough to donate, and that I didn’t want to cut back. For as long as I can, I want to continue to do this small thing, that, I hope, will make a difference in the life of someone else.

As a society, there is so much more than needs to be done to support families, and nursing mothers and caregivers in particular. Often, I have to pump in front of my colleagues and my students (I’m a teacher). I regularly pump in the car on my way to work or to pick up my kids. I have to pump during my 40 minute lunch break, or find a way to sneak in a session between meetings and class. It is hard, and yet I am the privileged one. I work at a supportive institution that provides a room for me to pump and a refrigerator. I have some breaks during my day and some degree of power over my schedule. So many others do not. Nursing is not available to all, and many women choose not to do it for a variety of very important and personal reasons. It is, ultimately, an extremely personal experience and choice. Nevertheless, there is so much more to be done to support mothers and caregivers to choose to nurse. We are doing the radical and essential act of caring for our little ones, our future. That is something that everyone can and should get behind.

– Milk Donor

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