BEVERTON, OR (INSIDE EDITION) - An Oregon mom who donates more than a gallon of breast milk a day is being hailed a hero in her community.
Elisabeth Anderson-Sierra, 29, of Beverton, was diagnosed with hyper lactation syndrome, a condition that makes her a "super producer" of breast milk.
"Not only do I overproduce, but I overproduce to an extreme if I nurse a lot and pump a lot," Anderson-Sierra told InsideEdition.com.
She explained that she produces 225 ounces, or 1.7 gallons, of breast milk a day. Her own 6-month-old daughter, Sophia, consumes about 20 ounces a day.
The rest, Anderson-Sierra explained, is donated to milk banks or local mothers in need.
"Hundreds of mothers received my product," she said. "My milk is going not only to micro-preemies but also to babies locally. It's full circle."
Over the last two-and-a-half years, since her oldest daughter Isabella was born, she believes she has donated at least 75,000 ounces of milk, or nearly 600 gallons.
She was originally inspired to donate milk after Sophia was born premature and needed donor milk herself.
"Even though I was a producer for my last child, I couldn't even do it for my own daughter," Anderson-Sierra said. "When milk finally came in, I wanted to really make use of it and get that milk out there."
The constant pumping that is necessary with her condition is uncomfortable at times, Anderson-Sierra said, but she believes she is making a difference by contributing to her community.
"What goes into this labor of love, the time and the wear and tear on the body," she explained. "It's amazing to hear how the people I donate to say our baby is thriving because of your breast milk. It's been wonderful to see these babies grow up."