A local mother lost her baby just six days after she was born. She has since donated her breast milk to another local mother who had trouble breastfeeding her newborn.
“When you’re a grieving new mother, your body doesn’t understand that there is no baby that needs milk. Even though your heart is broken and you’re grieving, your body still produces milk,” Jenny Rogers, mother of baby Everly Rogers.
Jenny said Everly died from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). After Everly died, Jenny’s body continued to produce milk that she decided to donate her milk to help baby Merrytt Burnett.
“Once I met Merrytt, it healed my heart in a way that I can’t explain to anyone. I know she’s not my baby. I’m not trying to make her my baby. I do gain pride when I hear how well she’s doing,” Jenny said.
The woman who received the milk is Dianne Burnett, who struggled with both breastfeeding and formula to feed her baby Merrytt.
“It’s somewhat like Merrytt now has two mothers. But we’ve just formed a super strong friendship,” Burnett said.
