Boobs (and hearts) big enough to feed a continent

This is such a great story. I'm glad there is more press about this. Pumping is a relatively easy way to make such a huge difference in children's lives. Good for Jill! I hope that maybe this press can encourage other nursing mothers to pitch in. It's a beautiful thing she's doing.
I am a bit leery about this however.
"Themba Lethu relies on donated breastmilk to avoid passing HIV in breastmilk"
The risk of passing HIV through breastmilk is much lower (arguably negligible, really) than the risk to their immune systems if they are not breastfed. In fact, encouraging third world mothers not to breastfeed is much more dangerous than any supposed risk of HIV.
It's rather ironic, really, that a substance clearly proven to help the immune system is being denied these children, because of an unsubstantiated fear of the unproven possibility of an immune suppressing virus.
I'm glad that they are receiving donated milk. However, I think, discouraging mothers from breastfeeding is ultimately causing more harm than good.

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What an amazing idea! I too have come to believe that I produce twice as much milk as is necessary to feed my little ones :) I've always thought that breastmilk was "made" specifically for our own babies - otherwise someone would have thought of this a long time ago - my kids have stayed much healthier during cold/flu seasons than their bottle-fed counterparts. I think this program can only help these orphans. Thanks for sharing this story!

http://www.NaturalSkinCareSite.com

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Since I get up hours before my kids, I pump every morning. And since I'm with my kids all day, I found myself with a freezer full of milk. I contacted the National Milk Bank and they helped me set myself up for donation. They supply the pump, collection bottles, and they cover all the expenses.
I have 100 oz in my freezer ready for transport. I would highly recommend donating if you have extra milk.

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Eva - it says it is an orphanage though and the mothers have succumbed to AIDS. I don't think in this instance they are telling mothers not to breastfeed, it sounds instead (sadly) that the babies have no mothers.

I know someone who did medical work in the Sudan and she said they definitely told all mothers to breastfeed regardless of their HIV status. This was because even if HIV positive they had a 98% to 99% chance of NOT passing HIV on (only a 1% to 2% chance of actually passing it on through breastmilk, and that was thought only likely through bleeding nipples or the like, not the milk itself). But if they bottle fed due to lack of clean water and hygeine the babies would certainly have serious health problems and likely die.

It sounds like a great programme though. With my first baby I was looking for something just like this as I had a serious problem with overproduction.

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What a wonderful thing! Thanks for posting this news.

Am filing this info away just in case we have a second baby. My body must've thought I had triplets when Baby A was born...and I hear production is even greater with second-plus babies, right?

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Thanks for getting info on this out. My mother used to hand express with each of us and give her extra to the hospital for preemies.

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