....SIX baby bellies

I've written about my experience with informal milk sharing and up until now I've always donated milk to babies I know. 

I stopped pumping in May with a freezer FULL of milk.

Owen has yet to drink any of it.

After donating to friends, I was saving the last 1,000 ounces for when Owen weaned.

Owen hasn't weaned.

So I joined a social-networking group for Pennsylvania women to share breastmilk

Human Milk 4 Human Babies

 I saw a post that said this:

I'm in need of milk for my 1 month old son. I am unable to breastfeed him due to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and a previous segmental mastectomy to remove a breast mass. I had a c-section and he was in the NICU for 9 days due to low blood sugar. I tried to nurse him and pumped but only produced a few drops each time. Please help us.

I contacted her to ask if she would like my summer/fall milk from last year.

She was thrilled and today she and her husband came to collect 

500 ounces of breastmilk

I didn't ask her any questions. 

She didn't know anything about me or my family.

I didn't know anything about her other than she lives in Pittsburgh and the above information about her baby.

I even thought about backing out, how weird was it to give 4 gallons of breastmilk - to a stranger?

But as Jeremy loaded the milk into her coolers

she thanked me and said,

"Would you like to take a peek at the baby?"

Of course!

And as I opened the car door to gaze upon her tiny sleeping boy she said,

"his name is Owen."