If you don't want to hear about boobies. Read no further.

As some know, and others may not know, I was inflicted with a condition known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum during both of my pregnancies. The condition is nasty and got me so bad that all pharmaceutical interventions became ineffective and both times I ended up with a PICC line (a catheter type IV that went from my arm and dropped off right by my heart), this is how I was fed, given prescription drugs and hydrated. Basically...shittiest thing ever. Especially with Addy, I couldn't gain weight and her health and my health were potentially being compromised. At birth, she was small. Not considered low birth weight but tiny nonetheless...she is my petite little princess. But, thankfully, my hyperemesis began to lessen in my last 8 weeks, I was able to put on weight and I was able to produce milk the day after my little one was born.
During my last experience with Hyperemesis I joined an online support group to help me through my misery and remind me I was not alone in my struggle and I realized that some women were much less fortunate than myself. Another woman in the group had her daughter 4 days after Adelyn was born and her health, weight and nutrition were so significantly compromised she was unable to lactate. The doctors discouraged her from even trying! I couldn't imagine being in her shoes.
Nutrition these days has not been an issue for me. I pump. Exclusively. Meaning my daughter gets nothing but breast milk, but from a bottle. Because I am pumping exclusively my supply isn't necessarily dictated by HER needs but by my pumping schedule and my supply is a supply of plenty. I honestly have enough milk to feed her for 2-3 months if I were to stop producing today and now my deep freeze is full (we had to buy a new freezer to have storage for all of it). Now, any nursing mom will tell you breast milk is "liquid gold". There is nothing healthier for a child than the nourishment that comes from their mother but what if their mother can't produce it? Formula isn't the only option.
Due to my abundance of supply I started investigating what to do with it. I became aware of a few milk banks, that is right I said milk banks, in Southern California which accepted donations of breastmilk which they would test, pasteurize and forward to needy recipients. After researching a handful of them I found my match. They are based out of Southern California, have a cute name ("Milkin' Mamas") and donate their milk to NICU units and place a special emphasis on Very Low Birth Weight Babies, pre filling 10 ml syringes for hospital use. There are a number of reasons for low birth weight babies, the most prominent of these being pre-term delivery. When pre-term delivery occurs mothers often have a very hard time producing breast milk as their body is adjusting the the early delivery, stress of having a pre term child and of course any circumstances that may have contributed to a pre term delivery. Every child born deserves to be given the best start possible and though THEIR mothers milk is best...second best is another mothers. I feel very blessed to have the supply of milk that I do and am happy I am able to help other mothers and their children have a healthy start.
So, today was the day I signed my life away...well, at least 200 oz of my liquid gold away. In return I get an amazing feeling of satisfaction in being able to help others and an awesome t-shirt to go along with my swelling sense of fulfillment.