is there any way to bank breastmilk?

[anj119]

hi, im on the library computer and am not sure when i'll be able to check back on this..........

im considering placing my baby, i wonder about nursing or banking breast milk for the first months?

[Quirky]

That is a wonderful thought, and I hope some adoptive mamas here might have some answers. Having read a little bit about adoption, I'm wondering whether it might depend on the agency - like if you did an open adoption and chose the adoptive parents, you could specify that you wanted to pump for the baby for however long? Have you called around to adoption agencies to talk to them about it?

I wish you peace and strength on your journey, whatever you decide!

[HotMama]

Our dd's birthmom pumped colostrum for dd, and even nursed her a few times while we were all still at the hospital. While the hospital was very supportive of me nursing, they were all paranoid about dd's birthmom nursing her, said she'd change her mind, like she hadn't really thought about it all. We had friend's pumping milk ahead of time, but I would have loved fresh milk. We froze ours in a chest freezer, where it lasts up to 12 mo. I still breastfeed dd exclusively and she's never had a bottle or pacifier.

I strongly suggest an open adoption and the agency Open Adoption is very supportive of a continuuing relationship between birthparents and children/adoptive families. They are based in Portland, OR and do OR and WA. If you don't find a supportive agency in Idaho, and I suggest working with an agency, go to Spokane for a while. Through them, you choose the family for your child out of a pool of families. They are also a pro-choice organization, giving you a picture of all of your options and any family you meet through them is committed to open adoption.

FWIW - We would have loved a larger supply of brestmilk for dd, especially from her birthmom, but it seemed too much too ask.