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>> I WASN'T INITIALLY GOING TO BREASTFEED.... BECAUSE I KNOW
IT'S NATURAL, BUT I WAS KIND OF, WEIRDED ME OUT A LITTLE BIT.
>> BEFORE CHARLOTTE WAS BORN, I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT
BREASTFEEDING AND WAS EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT.
AND THEN I FOUND OUT SHE WAS SICK AND I WONDERED WHAT
THAT WOULD MEAN.
>> WE KNEW THAT HE WOULD BE HOOKED UP TO A VENTILATOR
AS SOON AS HE WAS BORN AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO NURSE.
SO IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL WE STARTED OFF
BY PUMPING.
>> THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I COULD DO FOR HER,
AND THAT WAS THE ANSWER FOR US.
THAT WAS THE ONE THING THAT WOULD KEEP US CONNECTED EVEN
THOUGH WE COULDN'T BE CONNECTED.
>> PUMPING, EXPRESSING MILK FOR THE BABY,
IS THE ONE THING THAT THE MOM HAS CONTROL OVER.
EACH DAY THAT YOU PUMP, YOU ARE MAKING A NEW DAILY DOSE
OF VACCINE FOR YOUR BABY.
THAT'S POWERFUL.
>> MATERNAL MILK IS THE SAFEST MILK TO PROVIDE TO
A SICK BABY IN THE NICU.
IT PREVENTS INFECTION.
IT PREVENTS ILLNESSES THAT AFFECT THE INFANT'S INTESTINES.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE AND REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE OF HUMAN MILK VERSUS FORMULA,
THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND FOR A NICU BABY
WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
>> WHATEVER PROTEINS AND ANTIBODIES AND WHITE CELLS
AND OTHER THINGS THAT EXIST IN MOTHERS' MILK PROTECT
THE BABIES FROM GETTING INFECTIONS EARLY IN LIFE.
BABIES WHO ARE FED BREAST MILK JUST DO BETTER.
>> WELL, I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT TO HAVE TO LEARN TO
PUMP UNTIL I WENT BACK TO WORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> I WAS AFRAID IT MIGHT HURT.
I WAS AFRAID THAT IT WOULDN'T WORK.
>> THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THAT I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING
I WAS PRETTY MUCH BEING -- I WAS SCARED.
>> BEING IN THE NICU IS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER,
AND IT'S REALLY SCARY.
AS A MOTHER, ONLY YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A MILK
THAT IS ESPECIALLY TAILORED FOR YOUR BABY.
>> IT IS NICE TO KNOW WHEN I LEAVE HERE THIS IS THE ONE
THING THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A MOM.
EVEN IF HE'S NOT EATING RIGHT NOW I CAN STILL
PROVIDE MILK FOR HIS FUTURE.
>> I CAN'T FEED HER BECAUSE OF HER INTESTINAL ISSUES,
SO PUMPING IS THE ONLY THING I CAN DO AS A MOTHER.
>> WHEN I SAW THOSE BOTTLES LINED UP AND I KNEW THAT
THEY WERE FOR CHARLOTTE, AND I KNEW THAT THEY WERE
HELPING HER HEAL AND GET BETTER, IT BECAME REWARDING
AND ALMOST INSTANTLY GRATIFYING.
TODAY, I'M SO HAPPY TO SAY THAT CHARLOTTE IS AN ACTIVE
AND BEAUTIFUL TODDLER.
AND WHEN YOU MEET HER YOU WOULD NEVER,
EVER KNOW THAT SHE WAS SICK.
PROVIDING BREAST MILK FOR CHARLOTTE ABSOLUTELY PLAYED
A HUGE ROLE IN HER HEALING.
>> YOU HAVE THE POWER TO PUMP FOR YOUR BABY TO MAKE
MILK THAT IS A MEDICINE FOR YOUR CHILD THAT IS GOING TO
HELP YOUR CHILD BE THE HEALTHIEST THAT YOUR BABY
CAN BE.
>> WE JUST KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT IT
HELPS BABIES DEVELOP BETTER.
AND SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE TO YOUR
CHILD, WHY WOULDN'T YOU?