Meghan Whitman and youngest daughter Noelle

Ever since she was a young girl, Meghan Whitman, BSN, RN, IBCLC, knew that she wanted to take care of babies. Those early instincts drew her to earn her degree in nursing and pursue a fulfilling career as a NICU nurse. But it was her own experience in becoming a mother to three children that helped her to further shape her career path and become a certified lactation consultant in 2017 and an international board certified lactation consultant in 2021.

“I’ve been helping moms feed their babies for years on some level, but after having personal experience with breastfeeding and struggling with my oldest, I realized I wanted to learn more about the complexities of breastfeeding/pumping and how I could really support my patients’ parents in their feeding journeys,” said Whitman, who joined the Brigham NICU in 2014 and transitioned to the role of NICU lactation consultant in 2022.

After having her third child, Noelle, in 2022, Whitman found herself in a position to support NICU parents in a new way: by donating her surplus breastmilk to the Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, a nonprofit that collects and provides milk to premature and medically fragile babies in need throughout the region.

Whitman recently shared her experience as a milk donor and her advice for anyone considering donating.

What inspired you to become a milk donor?

We utilize a lot of donor milk in the NICU. It has many benefits, especially for our micro-preemie population (babies born before the 26th week of pregnancy or who weigh less than 1 pound, 12 ounces). As a NICU lactation consultant, I’ve learned so much about what the milk bank does and the whole process behind donating breast milk. While I was able to produce an adequate amount of milk for my first two children, I never had a large surplus, so I hadn’t given milk donation much thought then. When I had my third baby in August 2022, though, it took her a bit of time to become efficient at breastfeeding, so I had to do a lot of pumping initially. I started to notice I was producing more than what she needed for a feeding anytime I pumped, so I was able to start tracking my volumes. As my freezer filled up over the months, I was pleasantly surprised to see I had plenty of milk for Noelle as well as enough to donate! I made three shipments of milk to the milk bank, with my most recent shipment being over 500 oz.

How was your experience with the Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast?

It was a great experience. They make the donation process as easy as possible. Now that I have gone through the process myself, it’s nice to be able to walk other parents through the process when they ask for help with donating.

Do you have any advice for others considering donating?

Pumping breast milk is a labor of love, and the decision to share your breast milk with others is a personal one. If you decide it’s right for you, reach out to a local milk bank or a local IBCLC who can help you with the process. It’s a wonderful gift to share with some of our most fragile babies.

How did your own experience with lactation consultants impact you, personally and professionally?

I would love to personally thank the support system that has helped me along the way both in my own breastfeeding experiences and those who have guided me and continue to teach me to help me become a better lactation consultant. Tina Steele, RN, IBCLC (current research nurse and former lactation consultant here at the Brigham) is probably the reason I did not give up on breastfeeding my oldest daughter, Brooke, in the early days. Tina gave me the confidence and support I needed to work through the hiccups that can happen in the early weeks of breastfeeding, and I went on to nurse Brooke for 15 months.

While working as a bedside NICU nurse, I worked per diem for Nurture by NAPS (Newborn and Parenting Support, formerly Boston NAPS), doing in-home lactation visits. The staff there were wonderful to work for and created a supportive environment to really expand my skills as a new lactation consultant. Working there inspired me to obtain the higher IBCLC certification. My NICU colleagues Christine Curley, BSN, RN, IBCLC, and Jennifer Eaton, BSN, RN, IBCLC, who oriented me to the role of NICU lactation consultant and continue to be mentors to me, are a wealth of knowledge. Our NICU patients and parents are so fortunate to have their expertise. The postpartum lactation team at the Brigham have also been extremely helpful to me in my LC role.

Learn more about the Postpartum Unit Donor Milk Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.