Portland Lactation

Thank you for writing this beautiful poem Dr Ryan McAdams and this beautiful artwork. And thank you for sharing All Things Neonatal.

Poem and art by Dr. Ryan McAdams Neonatologist

Human Milk
More than milk I am

Not ordinary but extraordinary

Like the mother, mom, mama who made me

I can’t be mimicked

Precious child, I wait ready to flow into you

When you hunger, there I am

To greet your lips, to sooth, satiate,

Comfort and calm you. I provide

More than water, protein, sugars, and fat

Loving child, I am so much more than that

I am more than enzymes and antibodies

I am more than hormones and stem cells

I am a gift—Mother made just for you

Drink me. Thrive from me.

I will defend and fight for you

I will nourish and heal you

They call me liquid gold, but I am greater than gold

Gold won’t vitalize your tens of trillions of cells

I bind the beautiful and shape the wonderful

My liquid helps you become solid.

I am perfect, prized, and free

I unite, bond, and protect

I come from all colors

I am the best milk, I am human breast milk

Please do not waste me.

Celebrate and treasure me!

Let me be me

For I am for you.