Breastmilk

For those who are breastfeeding, Keep it up. Up until the time Hannah was about 8 years old I gave her breastmilk. I am a firm believer this is another reason she does so well. If a mom were still nursing I would encourage this. When I had my other two children I would pump my milk for Hannah and put it in her food. When I was no longer able to breastfeed prior to the birth of my second daughter, I got breastmilk from a Milkbank in North Carolina. (www.hmbana.org) There are six milkbanks in the USA. A doctor who researches SMA and nutrition has stated to me that when children with SMA who breastfeed stop nursing they go downhill and rather quickly. My belief is that it is because they are put on formula with dairy.   http://www.hmbana.com/wsnAC28.html is the website address of the milkbank I used for 4 years. The cost of breastmilk is expensive. However, I know the milkbanks do not turn you down if you are not able to pay. You will need to work this out with each individual milkbank however. IN some states Medicaid pays for the breastmilk. Some insurance companies even pay for the breastmilk if you word things correctly. You do unfortunately need a doctors order for breastmilk.  Often times insurance companies say they will not pay for the breastmilk because it is not on their formulary of drugs. Well, here is a small hint…..Blood for transfusions is not on many if at all any insurance companies drug formularies but we all know that if you get a blood transfusion the insurance company pays for it!!!!!!!!!!!! Again, it is all in the way you word things.