There’s no denying that breastfeeding is hard. There are mums who suffer from engorgement and mastitis while others find it difficult to keep up with their child’s demands or even to produce any milk at all.
Fortunately, for those who have problems breastfeeding but would still like to feed their babies breastmilk, there are many women out there who are willing to donate breastmilk. Popular Instagram star and owner of interior design firm Imagine by SK66, Tammy Tay (@ohsofickle), is one of them. The mother of two to little Elroy (aged two) and Ellie (eight-months old) donated her milk to two mums who needed help. In this interview she shares a bit more about her breastfeeding and milk donation journey.
Mummyfique: Why did you decide to donate your breastmilk?
Tammy Tay: Breastfeeding was not the easiest due to my oversupply from the day I gave birth to my (first) baby in the hospital. I read on forums about many mummies struggling to feed their baby and I really wanted to help them a little since I could.
How did you go about donating your breastmilk and what was the process like?
Two mums emailed me to ask if I had enough to spare after I mentioned my oversupply (on her blog), so I pumped and stored them in a storage bag, froze them and they came to collect the milk. Although I did not know these mums at all, I decided to help when they asked because I could. I only managed to keep it going for six months before I started going to work and could not pump as much milk.
How did you manage to maintain your milk supply?
For me it was all very easy and natural and I guess a little rare because I had an oversupply of milk the day after my boy. In fact, most of the nurses who checked on me were shocked to see how much I was pumping! However, I noticed a few things which would increase the supply: if I had a lot of fish and Milo my supply would increase. And of course, the best way to maintain and increase supply is to pump/feed your baby as much as possible every three to four hours even at night.
For other mums who are thinking of donating milk, what are some bits of advice that you can share with them?
There’s nothing to be afraid of! If mums are willing to feed their baby milk from a cow that has been processed, they shouldn’t be afraid of feeding something au natural? After all, we all know that there’s no way anyone can duplicate the nutrients in breastmilk.
Editor’s note: If you’re looking to donate or receive milk, the Human Milk for Babies Facebook page is a good place to start.
