A northern Texas mom made her way into the Guinness Book of World Records by donating more breast milk than any other woman has — nearly 87 gallons of it.
Alicia Richman, a 28-year-old mother from Granbury, had a son last March and She began pumping and storing her milk, and quickly realized she was producing much more than her son could consume.
When two freezers were chock full of pumped milk, Richman contacted the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, an nonprofit that collects breast milk donations for critically ill and premature infants in need.
Her donations have fed “hundreds, and more likely, thousands of premature babies across the United States,” Amy Vickers, executive director of the milk bank, says in a press release.
Richman says she went for the Guinness record because she wanted to raise awareness for the cause and encourage other women to donate to milk banks.
Richman started donating to the bank in June 2011, and by March of this year her gifts added up to 11,115 ounces, or 86.8 gallons — shattering the previous “Most Breast Milk Donated” record by more than 23 gallons.
Just three ounces of milk is enough to feed a premature infant nine times, said Amy Vickers, executive director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank. “Alicia’s generous gift of human milk has fed hundreds, and more likely, thousands of premature babies across the United States.”
Richman will be happy to have her record broken — she hoped to be Guinness certified in order to raise awareness of milk banks — though she could be her own toughest competition.
“I’m planning to beat my own record when we have a second baby,” she said.
Source:medicaldaily.com, dailypost.ng, nydailynews.com
