In the spirit of National Breastfeeding Month, I want to offer you a blog about gratitude to honor a whole host of moms who have stepped up for me and my baby when we needed them - you made all the difference for me. 

I am a mom to three amazing kids. I had the ability to make the feeding decisions with my older girls that worked for us, however with my son things were very different. Shortly after the birth of my youngest I was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. Treatment would need to start immediately and I was given no choice but to stop breastfeeding.

This was never the path I had intended, but I was lucky as so many people supported me to get my baby the breastmilk he needed and I wanted him to have. The stress of spending thousands on milk from milk banks was lifted off my shoulders time and time again, and just this week I ended up with another few months supply of milk which I hope will take us to Maxwell’s first birthday. 

I want to say thank you to all the mothers, friends and loving selfless and organized people who have taken the time to pump, sort, store, pick up, drop off, label, freeze, transport, bags and bags and bags full of breast milk my little chunk. Despite the fact that he has a food protein allergy and violently throws up formula as well as some food groups, he is clearly not lacking in nutrients.

There are too many of you to count and some who I don’t know or have just met as a result of donations, who I give my heartfelt thanks to. It is truly remarkable what women can do, you are all my superheroes and have helped me to raise my baby in a healthy way. I am so incredibly grateful for your generosity.