Since instant baby formula was first made available to the public, mothers and doctors have long debated wether breast truly is best.

Today, many mothers don't have the luxury of preference. For many moms like Tobie Beeson, their choice is already made. Although she tried, Tobie couldn't provide enough milk for her baby girl. When she realized that little Aurora couldn't digest infant formula either, Beeson reached out to a community of mothers for help.

When Aurora began to refuse formula and throw it up, Beeson knew her options were running out. As she scrambled to negotiate with insurance to get breastmilk from the milk bank, her daughter was rapidly losing weight.

Beeson threw out a Hail Mary appeal to all of her Facebook friends and to strangers on nursing forums, requesting the help from any and all nursing mothers to contact her immediately:

Her desperate plea spread quickly and nine women stepped forward with the offer to help. Complete strangers, all of them nursing mothers all felt compelled to help a fellow mom in need.

Nine selfless strangers donated a total of 2,800 oz of breastmilk to baby Aurora. Beeson was floored by the generosity and her little girl finally gained back the weight she had lost:

Beastfeeding research suggests that it may reduce the risk for certain allergic diseases, asthma, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Also, it may improve an infant's cognitive development, although The National Institute of Child and Human Development, does caution that more studies are needed to prove the fact.

Although 81% of moms in America reported breastfeeding at some point, only about 22% of them exclusively breastfeed for up to six months.

USA Today reports that concerns about milk supply is the most common problem faced by nursing mothers.

[h/t LoveWhatMatters / Tobie Beeson / USA Today]