We have some pretty special Moms!  Read their stories and see their Mommy’s milk babies below!

  Can you even believe I can say that? Even I am amazed that I've been EPing for now 4 years. Seems hard to believe that I have been able to keep up a supply for that long, but I have in large part because I have had this wonderful group of supportive ladies for the last 3 years.

For those of you who don't know me, I am EPing for a little boy who has a congenital heart defect. He has had 3 open heart surgeries and will have another one in 9 months. (I'm already a wreck...) He was nursing pretty well after the first surgery, which he had when he was 4 days old, but the second and third surgeries (at 3 months of age) were one complication after another, and after 3 months in ICU, he never nursed again. Eventually we wound up with a Gtube from an oral aversion from being intubated for so long (on a
respirator)
and thankfully we were just able to take that Gtube out a few months ago because he is eating totally on his own.

He is also somewhat of a legend because the complication he developed after those 2nd and 3rd surgeries necessitated that we devise a way to centrifuge my breastmilk to take all the fat out of it. Many people from around the world have contacted us since to use this technique for other babies with the same complication, and it has been written up in lactation journals as well as the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Here's the link for the one published in La Leche League's journal for leaders, called Leaven.
http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVAprMay03p27.html


He is also a main part of a web site for a nationally known author and feeding specialist named Marsha Dunn Klein, who has been gracious enough to work with us long distance from AZ. (We are in CT). Because of Bobby, she developed a conference that teaches around the country, teaching people how to transition children off of tube feeding so that they can eat on their own. As you can see, he's quite a famous little guy. Here's the web site of Marsha, and look under parent stories to see some stories about him and a few pictures from last summer. http://mealtimenotions.com

As for me, I would have stopped pumping by now, but the milk has kept Bobby healthy and strong, free of respiratory infections my other three kids seem to bring home from school, as well as being good for his heart and blood pressure.
Since it saved his life in ICU (no exaggeration with that one, read the story), I see no reason to quit. Also, as I mentioned, he has another surgery in the spring, and 9 months seems like a short time compared to 4 years, so why not?
Unfortunately, the same complication, though it is unlikely, can happen again.
I have a freezer full of milk and I still freeze about 10 ounces/week.
For the
most part, Bobby drinks whatever I pump.

So ladies, I may be the record holder for the world's longest EPer, not some title I ever wanted or asked for, but I am proud of being able to supply the best most perfect food in the world to my little special boy.

Thanks for all you do to support me and for always being concerned and interested in Bobby's progress. If anyone wants to be on our update list to receive periodical updates about what is going on with us and Bobby's medical condition, feel free to email me at Chester2001@charter.net and I will add you to the over 400 person list I already have together.
I feel privileged to have such a strong and courageous little boy as my son. He is an incredible teacher.

Hugs to all of you and your precious little babies,

Trish, EPing for Bobby, 4 years old, Single ventricle congenital heart defect, former Gtuber, speech, motor and developmental delays due to the 3 months in the PICU.

Hi,

My name is Evette R., I'm pumping for Abigail Karen, born 11/20/03, now 6 months old.  My story is not one of the amazing heroic ones; I'm just a typical working mom that wanted to continue breastfeeding and
providing  the best start for my daughter. I had to return to full time work after an 8 week maternity leave, but thanks to this website, the support of a good lactation consultant who co-taught my childbirth
education class, and a great lactation program at the university where I work, I knew I could pump and continue to breastfeed while working.  We are doing great and haven't had to supplement with any formula. I have every intention of continuing to at least one year, and every confidence that I can do it.

Hi!  My name is Melissa. I didn't think I would be EPing for my son. I thought I had a perfectly healthy baby girl in my womb.  In my mind I had planned for the perfect natural birth so I was devistated when I had to have a c-section because my baby was so big and was transverse breech.  I was extreamly suprised when my OB said that I had a boy instead of the girl he thought he saw in my first ultrasound.  I thought that would be my last suprise for the night but I was wrong.

Late that night after I had recoverd somewhat from the c-section my new son was brought in for his first attempt at breastfeeding. As I was trying to get him to latch the nurse noticed that he was looking a bit dusky so she put an oxygen saturation monitor on his toe to check him out. His levels were very low so he ended up being transfered to another hospital with a NICU.

It was eventualy discovered that he had a heart defect.  He had several surgeries and ended up having a fairly lengthy stay in the hospital while he was recovering. At first when the dietician mentioned that they might put him on fortified breastmilk I told myself that I could never pump that long.  I was so exhausted and stressed out that I just knew once I got home there was no way that I could keep it up.  Later on as I saw what a fairly mild infection did to him I knew that I had to do everything in my power to prevent him from getting sick so I kept pumping. Once we came home the frustrations of caring for him and keeping up the grueling pump schedule became too much for me.  I was
exhausted and etremely thirsty all the time because I was pumping such a huge volume.  My fridge was overwhlemed by the frozen milk that I had pumped while he was not eating in the hospital.  For my sanity I cut down the number of pumpings and gave myself a week. I knew that if I could make it that long then I would be able to go another week and another.

I have been pumping for three months now and I feel pretty good about going for six months and maybe even an entire year. I did not have the birth I had dreamed of and my girl turned out to be a boy but I love him so much that I would not trade him for anything and I will do what it takes to keep him healthy and fed.

My name is Allison.  I am 38.  I work full-time in marketing and am also studying for my MBA degree.  Of course I would love to be a stay-at-home Mom, but our finances do not allow for this.  Therefore, I am pumping for my little daughter Wyatt Clementine, who is 7 months old as of May 29. She was born October 29, 2003. I love her so much, I'd love five more just like her, but I am a little old for that now!  Still, a baby brother or sister or two is still a possibility.

I breastfed Wyatt exclusively for the first two months, but when she was ten weeks old, I had to go back to work. So from then on, I breastfed her before and after work, and pumped at work.  At work I use the Medela Lactina which I rent from the hospital. At home and when I must go out for work or school, I use the Pump In Style in the backpack. My Mom gives Wyatt the bottles three days a week when she takes care of her, the other two days, she is in day care and they give her the bottles there.

I find pumping to be very time consuming and exhausting. Some days it is very hard. I have experienced every kind of challenge - faulty equipment, defective bottles and bags, spilled milk, lack of support, resources and privacy at work - all in opposition to my need to feed Wyatt and keep her healthy. But I am determined to do the best I can for my baby.  I will continue to do as much as I can until she hits one year, then I will evaluate what to do next. My job is very stressful and pressurized, and it is nearly impossible to carve out the time in my schedule to pump - there are no such things as "breaks." Also I work at a small company with no HR department or family friendly policies (we only get six weeks maternity leave here, and when I read that some people get lactation rooms, I have to laugh - I pump in a computer closet or the bathroom)I have to balance the need to pump with the necessity of doing a superior job at work so that I can continue to support and provide for my family.

I really appreciate the Pump Moms emails.  I read them each day when I am pumping. Pump Moms helps keep me committed to this tough but important responsibility we breastfeeding mothers have.