Grieving mother Sarah Lampley, 34, who almost died while delivering a stillborn son, donates her breast milk to sick babies. She said that it got her comfort to know her child’s legacy will live on.
Sarah was bleeding severely during her 38th week of pregnancy and rushed to a hospital in Georgia with her husband, Lewis, 34. She had experienced placental abruption and was enforced to go through a blood transfusion while nearly passing out from blood loss. She delivered a baby boy who unfortunately died just before the traumatic birth.
Doctors informed Sarah and Lewis that she had been bleeding for 24 hours but their son had protected her life as his positioning in the womb stopped blood clots from moving to other parts of her body. But she was passing out due to the blood loss and ten hours later she delivered her stillborn son.
Upon returning home from the hospital, Sarah began to lactate and decided to donate her breast milk in her son’s memory who they named Legend.
She has donated 50 pints of her breast milk for an association which donates breast milk to premature babies. Sarah said it gives her relief and her three sons have applauded her for it. They also call Legend a superhero for saving their mother’s life. They are great at talking about it and they like to draw pictures which they put in a memory box.
While heartbroken for the son that didn’t survive, Sarah’s body was still ready to care for him and initiated producing breast milk and she felt awful about wasting it.
Sarah said that she felt so appreciative for people who donated blood when she was in the hospital, so she reached out to a couple of milk banks in her area to give them her breast milk. Within 14 weeks, Sarah had donated over 800 oz. of the so called liquid gold.
Her husband, Lewis, primarily concerned that donating her milk would be too emotionally challenging for Sarah but he soon recognized how it was helping her.
Sarah has documented her journey through a blog and social media and her story has gained the attention of other women who have been through a related experience.
Not only has Sarah been called by mothers who have also lost babies but she has now spoken with women whose premature children have benefited from milk donations.
Sarah and her family are still coming to terms with the loss of Legend. She revealed that she has not yet been able to go into the nursery which the couple had decorated for Legend’s arrival.
But in the middle of the sadness, Sarah and Lewis have been sustained by the tremendous love and support from their family and friends.
Sarah said that we can still be a light to others even in our dimmest times.
