Mana from Heaven

This is what my best friend calls the breast milk that I've been giving her for her little girl Iyla. Poor thing was having such a hard time with gaining weight, reflux and not sleeping well through the night that my heart ached. Her mom couldn't make enough milk and continued to pump for her getting barely a half ounce sometimes after hours of trying to no avail. I would've given up a long time before that but she tried so hard to give her daughter what was best for her. And no matter what the Formula companies say, its not the same or even close to the same as breast milk.

Leahona and I had joked about giving her daughter some of my extras a few times but in my head I was thinking "why not give her the milk that I pump every morning?" I am what you call the over producer in this area. Example: Rowan sleeps through the night for about 8 hours so by the time I wake up, feed him and then pump I can still get about 5 ounces and I freeze it and that is what I give to Leahona. Enough to give her a couple bottles a day or at least one at night time to keep her full and sleep better. I never realized what a blessing it is to be able to give my own kids a full year of breastfeeding until I saw someone who couldn't do it and my heart went out to her. She just happened to be my best friend and oh so convenient that I have plenty to spare for supplementing. Little Iyla has been recovering and getting over the reflux and sleeping so much better, I think it even helped her chunk up a little.

I get so many thanks for this small gesture that doesn't seem like much to me but I know it means a lot to my friend and her little girl.