Mother's Milk

Fri 7/10/09 9:55 PM

Hey Everyone, 
Looks like your prayer and cold well-wishes helped!  After 3 1/2 days the milk arrived home mostly in good shape.  I was quite anxious as it got stuck in the UK for 1 1/2 days and my calls to DHL did not give me any answers.  I didn't know if the cooler was kept in a cool place or not.  The milk traveled from Bagram to Bahrain, then London, then East Midlands, UK then to Ohio, then Maryland then D.C.  It was taken by courier from D.C.  to the house. 
  
I sent 50 6 ounce bags, about 1/2 arrived at least half frozen and were put in the freezer; the other half was mostly thawed but still very cold and was put in the fridge.  Only 1 bag leaked.  The plan is to get L. to drink as much of the fridge milk as possible over the next few days.  Hopefully, she'll be able to use about 80-90% of what I sent.  Next time I think I'll arrange the bags a bit differently in the cooler and I've ordered some reusable "like dry ice" heavy duty ice packs to add as well.  This should help with the next shipment.  I'm also sure that if it hadn't sat for a day and a half in the UK many more bags would have arrived frozen.  But for a first attempt, not bad.  This shipment should get her 2-3 weeks closer to that 1 year goal.  Another 2 good shipments and we should make it.  I'm very relieved as I had feared that it would all arive thawed and unusable.  Breastfeeding your baby from a combat zone over 6000 miles away...who would've thought it possible?  Miracles do happen! 
  
So preparing for, worrying about, and tracking this shipment has pretty much been my week.  I'm almost at 8 weeks now.  I've attached my "Wheel of Despair" which I use to track my time here.  I hope you're all doing well, and thanks again for all of your well wishes.