Feeding Moses

I stole the title from the article that first brought this story to my attention.  I was deeply touched by this story that although I’m glad to see it covered by a national magazine, I was disappointed that it wasn’t the cover story once I found it stashed in the back, you know where all the last minute advertising is.  it isn’t even mentioned on the cover.  Where is the national media coverage of this inspiring good news!?

But first the bad news:

Robbie Goodrich is the father to a little girl (I am guessing around age two) and a young infant boy, Moses,  6 months old.  Robbie’s wife died 11 hours after childbirth due to a rare amniotic-fluid embolism. 

Let your heart sink and crash and push away the fear and devastation and thank your lucky stars and God for your life – I know you are all feeling some degree of that right now as I did when I first read it. 

The good news:

Robbie knew that his wife felt strongly about breast feeding for the first year and had enjoyed breast feeding their daughter.  He made the immediate decision to purchase banked breast milk to feed their son for the first year.  Praise to him!  Way to go Dad!

The amazing news:

Upon finding out about his choice a family friend that had a nursing a baby volunteered to breast feed baby Moses and within a day had a mob of nursing mothers, mostly strangers to the family, that volunteer their time and mothers milk to feed baby Moses!  Every three hours a Mother shows up to nurse this baby boy and they each donate milk for the father to bottle feed him breast milk at night.

Robbie Goodrich says, “It’s not just about nutrition – it’s about nurturing”

Way to go Moms!  This is womanhood at it’s finest.  Cheers for you!

(note: the only concern with cross-nursing are health risks that the nursing mother may carry an infectious disease such as HIV or hepatitis.  If all mothers are tested and determined to be in good heath there is no risk to the baby.  The American Academy of Pediatrics quoted in the article: “If the mothers and baby are healthy, it’s reasonable, breast milk is always best.”)