In This Issue
Milk Marvels
Facebook Friends
Community Partners
Moms Connect
Quick Links
News and Events

New Milk Depots we've recently opened!   

 

Texarkana Bowie County Family Health Center WIC Clinic

902 W. 12th St.

Texarkana, TX 75501

 

Wellness Pointe WIC Clinic

1107 E. Marshall Ave. Building 2

Longview, TX 75601

           

 

Please join us at the following community events

             

The Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge Sat, Sept 29, 2012

 

 


 
Greetings!

Welcome to our new e-newsletter! Each month we will share donor mom stories, shine the light on our community partners, and highlight new depots, breastfeeding resources or where you can find us in the community that month.

We still need more 2012 donor moms. If you know someone with an abundance of milk willing to share with us, then please forward this e-newsletter to her and encourage her to donate.

Thanks for all that you do!
Amy

 

Why breastmilk is so important for babies in the NICU?
One of the best medical resources for critically ill babies in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is breastmilk. This naturally-produced, scarce resource is known to prevent infection and make weak babies stronger, helping them thrive or get strong enough for a much-needed surgical procedure.

Additionally, donor human milk is imperative for premature or sick babies, who are at 10 times the risk for intestinal infections if they are fed formula instead of human milk. Human breastmilk fights devastating diseases and provides important nutrition, growth hormones, and antibodies babies need in order to develop and thrive. Mothers who deliver premature babies are encouraged to pump their milk for their baby, but sometimes these moms are unable to do so. This is when the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas steps in and helps families in need.

Doctors will prescribe donor human milk for babies in the NICU. If mom is currently unable to produce milk for her baby, then milk will be dispensed from a local milk bank.

Milk banks, such as The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas, carefully screen donors to make sure they are able to provide uncontaminated milk. Once cleared, the nursing donor mom donates her milk for pasteurization and analysis of its nutritional content. The milk dispensed from the milk bank to the hospital is formulated to meet the specific needs of a specific sick baby. The milk dispenses milk primarily to premature and ill infants who are at a higher risk of health complications.

Giving milk is always a generous act. If you're a nursing mom with a baby under the age of one year old, then consider donating your overflow of "extra" milk to a baby in need.
Facebook Friends Share Photos
Each month we'll ask our Facebook Friends to share a few photos with us. For this issue,  we asked you to show us your Freezer-full of donor human milk.

Sara Pascale lives in Fairview, Texas and has donated 7,142 ounces of donor human milk to date. She is a current donor and the Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas is expecting more milk in the coming months.
Thank you Sara!

 

Community Partners
 

Q&A with Laura Burnett, RN, BSN, IBLC

 

Nursing Supervisor, Nursing Administration at Texas Health HEB Hospital

 

For more than 12 years Laura Burnett worked as a Nursing Supervisor at Texas Health HEB Hospital and coordinated the activities of the Breastfeeding Support Center. She successfully managed a team of nurses and coordinated care for the hospital's inpatient and outpatient services and helped new moms better understand breastfeeding and define their own successful breastfeeding journeys.

 

As a lactation consultant, how do you help a breastfeeding mom?

The biggest role and responsibility of lactation consultants is to educate moms on what normal breastfeeding looks and feels like. Not all women grow up with a frame of reference for "good breastfeeding" and they don't know what to expect. We paint that realistic picture and then cheerlead and help them feel good about providing their babies with most beneficial nutrition available.

 

What is the biggest breastfeeding myth you encounter on a regular basis?

There are a number of women who don't think they can breastfeed. In reality, only three to five percent of moms are truly unsuccessful for reasons beyond their control. We encourage moms to try again and then feel good about every single day they breastfeed their baby.

 

What should normal look like?

The foundation of good breastfeeding is strong communication between mom and baby. Moms have to be open and receptive to baby's cues, responding to them as needed. Family and friends need to honor the cues and the relationship.

Moms should be willing to:

  • nurse frequently at times
  • realize that nursing times differ from day-to-day and week-to-week
  • at times, remain unscheduled and available to baby's feeding needs
  • breastfeed every two to four hours

 

Success is personal. I tell moms, "Accomplish what you want to get out of the relationship and what you want to give to your baby. Also, be patient, take it one day at a time." Breastfeeding really does look different for every person, every baby and every family.

 

What if breastfeeding is painful?

Moms shouldn't have pain. An "Oh!" or "Ah!!" is normal because breastfeeding elongates soft tissue. But, it should not be really painful. If tears are rolling down your face, then call the hospital where you delivered and find what resources are available in your community.

 

What are the biggest unknown benefits of breastfeeding?

Some breastfeeding benefits that don't get enough credit - an infant learning to trust and build a good attachment to his or her mom. Studies have shown that early holding and feeding releases hormones that help us attach to our infants. We tell our moms to give your full attention to the baby for each breastfeeding during the first few months, giving them everything you've got. This is a very important time for both mom and baby. 

 

Moms Connect
Whitney Bettis, Azle, TX

On June 10, 2009, I went to my regular prenatal check-up and learned that my pregnancy was right on track. My baby boy's heartbeat was strong and the pains I'd recently had were only Braxton Hicks contractions. Later that morning I went about my day, feeding the horses in our barn. I really had a great day.
But, that night I told my husband I didn't feel well. By 11 p.m. we were in the truck making 30 minute drive from Azle, TX to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Southwest on the outskirts of Fort Worth, TX.  We welcomed Bradley the next day evening at 6:18 p.m. He was 4 lb. 1 oz. and spent the next 28 days in the hospital NICU.

No reason was given to us as to why Bradley came early. He just did.
The hospital's NICU staff was absolutely wonderful and did everything possible to support us and help Bradley. During my labor, Bradley was given two rounds of steroid shots to strengthen his lungs. After he was born, he was put on a CPAP machine. During those first few days, my milk wasn't in yet, but Bradley needed to eat. The nurses gave us a consent form and asked us if they could give Bradley donor human milk.  
I thought, "What is that?" I was six hours post-partum and didn't know what to do. The hospital staff then educated us without inserting any opinions. The decision was now simple and easy: Yes.

Within two days Bradley was off the CPAP machine and within four days he was nursing on his own. He started to gain weight. His feeding tube stayed in place for 27 of his 28 days in the NICU because even though he gained strength every day, at 30 weeks he didn't have enough strength and the suck-swallow-breathe reflex down just yet.

I really had no clue there was any sort of organization or opportunity like milk banking. You always hear about donating blood, plasma and organs, but before this I knew nothing about donor human milk.

We really felt like a lucky family. Here we had this surprise pregnancy and beautiful baby boy who was healthy and thriving. We thought he'd be an only child. Then, I became pregnant with Addy Kate.
My first thought was, "This time I will donate MY milk!"  Addy Kate was born full-term at 37 weeks on March 7, 2012. She and I now share her milk with the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas. Since March 2012 we've donated more than 1,700 ounces to NICU babies who need to be given breastmilk. My goal is 3,500 ounces. I think, "Holy cow! I'm halfway to my goal." And, it feels so good to give back. I'll keep pumping and donating as long as they are willing to work.
Giggle Snaps Photo Credit