Long journey for breast milk

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Health, Mind & Body
Author:	By ANGELA SHAFFER, Special to the Standa

Subhanallah.. pagi 2 baca imel dari AFB ..so inspiring ..ayo semangat2...(maaf ibu2 nyemangatin diri sndiri..)
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Long journey for mother's milk

By ANGELA SHAFFER, Special to the Standard-Times

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Every two weeks since early September 2007, young Silas Bohl has
received a special package from halfway around the world. His mother,
Capt. Ginger Bohl, is deployed with the Air Force in Afghanistan. The
packages contain 30 to 40 pounds of frozen breast milk that travels in
a convoluted, globe-trotting shipping route from the war zone to the
Bohls' home. Ginger Bohl's deployment wraps up in mid-January, and she
hopes to be back in San Angelo in time for Silas' first birthday.

Every two weeks since early September 2007, young Silas Bohl has
received a special package from halfway around the world. His mother,
Capt. Ginger Bohl, is deployed with the Air Force in Afghanistan. The
packages contain 30 to 40 pounds of frozen breast milk that travels in
a convoluted, globe-trotting shipping route from the war zone to the
Bohls' home. Ginger Bohl's deployment wraps up in mid-January, and she
hopes to be back in San Angelo in time for Silas' first birthday.

Toddler Silas Bohl gets special deliveries every two weeks from his
mom halfway across the globe, and he just eats them up.

Silas turns 1 later this month. His mom, Ginger Bohl, is deployed
overseas and sends her breast milk home from a war-torn land.

"It's my wife," says Michael Bohl, her husband and Silas' father. "She
is an amazing woman - her spirit, her faith, everything about her just
shines."

Ginger Bohl, an Air Force captain, is an active-duty doctor deployed
in Afghanistan from Goodfellow Air Force Base. Since leaving in late
August, Bohl has sent home biweekly shipments of her breast milk,
frozen and shipped in 30- to 40-pound quantities directly to the Bohl
family.

Thirty-five pounds of milk is about 4 gallons' worth. This delicate
commodity makes it halfway across the planet, a distance of more than
8,000 miles, in just three short days.

While Michael Bohl and the children have spent the majority of the
recent months in Michigan visiting family, Ginger made time each day
to pump milk using a Medela breast pump. Michael said she had
reservations about being able to pump and store the milk on a daily
basis.

Electricity and a working freezer were a must - what if the necessary
facilities weren't available?

"My wife left with faith that everything would be provided for," Bohl
said. "And it has."

Ginger sends the breast milk to her stateside family in one of several
Igloo Ice Cube coolers using DHL shipping services. Michael then packs
the cooler with items he thinks she might want or need and sends it
back. He recognizes that not every family is as fortunate as his, as
the shipping costs could be prohibitive.

"We're really blessed that we can afford to make these shipments so
often," Bohl said. "But it can get quite pricey, and because of that,
it's cost-prohibitive for a lot of military families."

On a recent day at the Bohl home, Olivia Bohl, 3 1/2 years old,
squealed with delight as she played with her toys and listened to
music. Her brother Silas was down for his daily nap, and Michael Bohl
took a breath of temporary relief known only to those who have the
important job of raising children.

Since no moratorium exists on training exercises or deployment for
breast-feeding mothers, Michael Bohl said, he feels that the military
should make more of an effort to provide facilities for mothers who
choose to breast-feed.

"What I'd really love to see the military do is provide compensation
for families who choose to breast-feed their children," he said, "even
though the mother is away on deployment."

However, the problem is not simply cost-related: Bohl said he
recognizes that what some take for granted in the U.S. is simply not
an option in many parts of the world.

"Something as simple as an electrical outlet and a freezer can make
all the difference," he said.

Lt. Col. Susan Baker at Goodfellow Air Force Base said that there has
been no moratorium on deployment for breast-feeding mothers beyond the
first four months of a child's life since late 2006. Baker
acknowledged that deployed breast-feeding mothers can encounter
obstacles. "It's highly dependent on where a person is deployed," she
said. "Some places are better-equipped than others."

Help with wrangling bureaucracy would help many families that share
the Bohls' desire to breast-feed. Bohl says his family encountered a
lot of red tape when trying to ship the breast milk.

Shipments have been held up by customs and the USDA because of the
potential for infectious diseases.

"There's one guy at JFK (airport in New York City) who is now very
informed about the benefits of breast-feeding and why we needed the
milk right away," Bohl said. "I was even sent to the IRS to get the
milk because they thought we were running some kind of Afghani
breast-milk ring."

Through all the mishaps and difficulties, Ginger Bohl has been able to
provide vital nutrition for Silas.

In an additional contact provided by the United Through Reading
military program, Ginger also has been able to read to her children.
Through the use of a webcam, the children are able to see their mother
whenever they wish.

Ginger Bohl returns to her family in a few days. Whether Silas will be
able to resume breast-feeding with his mother is unclear.

"She's been gone for so long, nearly half of his life," Bohl said.
"Every time he hears her on the TV, he crawls up to touch it. He knows
her face and her voice. He knows his mommy. I know it won't be a
problem."
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