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Greetings!
December is a busy time. We know a lot of our donor moms have a number of extra commitments on the calendar right now. We know you are busy, and we appreciate the time you somehow find to pump, store and ship your excess donor human milk to us!
This month's COMMUNITY PARTNERS section sends us to Oklahoma City, home of one of our milk depots and Oklahoma's first developing milk bank. We also just launched our new blog, Texasbreastfeeding.org, and invite you to join the conversation!
And, our MOMS CONNECT section shares Shwetha Pandurangi's touching story. Isn't that picture with Santa precious?
Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!
Amy |
Introducing our new blog!
|  Our new blog, Texasbreastfeeding.org, is now live!
As a growing nonprofit, we strive to improve the survivability and development of critically ill infants by providing donor human breastmilk to babies in hospital NICUs.
We created Texasbreastfeeding.org for mothers, fathers, nurses, donors, supporters and all who are interested in learning more about the benefits of breastmilk and nonprofit milk banking.
We will share information about everything breastfeeding including supportive tips, interesting facts, the history of nonprofit milk banking, real donor mom and recipient stories and more.
Other features include information on becoming a milk donor, how to access this E-newsletter, and a comments section for you to share breastfeeding tips, personal stories or insight with other readers.
Like a blog post and want to share a blog post with your friends? Simply click on the Facebook and Twitter icons located below the post and instantly upload it to your personal social media accounts.
We hope our new blog will serve as a resource to all who want to discover more about the benefits of breastfeeding as well as nonprofit milk banking. We invite you and your friends to visit our new blog, and sincerely hope you join the conversation.
Click here to visit our new blog!
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 Facebook Friends Share Photos
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Each month we usually feature YOUR Facebook photos, but this month we decided to share a "Seasons Greetings" photo of our staff here at the Milk Bank.
What's on our gift list? We wish for our Facebook page to receive more than 1,000 "Likes!" before the end of the year. Have you LIKED us yet?
Please click here to visit our Facebook Page and LIKE us today! Thank you!!
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Community Partners
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 Q&A with Becky Mannel, Lactation Coordinator at OU Medical Center who also oversees at Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas' Oklahoma City Milk Depot
What made OU Medical Center want to become a milk depot for The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas?
OU Medical Center began shipping donor human milk to the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas when it first opened in 2004. Later, we opened a milk depot for The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas. We are the state's first depot and we have the largest NICU in Oklahoma. We often see the positive impact that human milk has on a critically ill baby's health and we have always supported the development of depots and milk banks around the nation. Oklahoma people are very generous, and mothers are always calling us to donate their milk and to see how they can help.
Why are milk depots necessary for our communities?
As a lactation consultant, it is important for me to raise awareness among the healthcare community, as well as the general public, about the benefits and health impact of donor human milk. Human milk can be the factor in saving a critically ill baby's life. I realize that most people I talk to are familiar with the benefits of human milk, but not too many know about the concept of donor human milk being used for sick babies in the NICU. Opening our milk depot was an important milestone. Today we are developing a milk bank for the state of Oklahoma.
Tell us about your new Milk Bank.
In 2013, we will transition from operating as a milk depot to operating as a full-fledged milk bank. This means that babies in Oklahoma NICUs will have greater access to donor human milk, which will improve the overall health of babies across the state and region. There are only 13 non-profit milk banks that are part of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, including the two in Texas. We believe all states should strive to open at least one nonprofit milk bank. If more are open, then awareness will continue to increase among the healthcare community and general public. Donor human milk is a resource we need for our most vulnerable babies, and we are proud that our new milk bank will help this cause both regionally and nationally.
Do you have any important partnerships connected to your soon-to-be-opened milk bank?
We will partner with the Oklahoma Blood Institute, a 20-year old nonprofit organization. Our moms' blood must be screened and cleared before they donate their milk, and our partnership will help lower the cost of that screening. We will use Oklahoma Blood Institute's existing courier system for pickup and delivery of donor human milk around the state. We hope that other developing milk banks will consider forming similar partnerships like this to increase awareness about both causes.
What are your 2013 goals for the new milk bank?
We expect to open the milk bank for business and process our first batch of donor human milk within the first quarter of 2013. Our long term goal for the year is to process more than 20,000 ounces of donor human milk - the SAME amount of milk we sent to The Mothers' Milk bank of North Texas in 2011. Moms have already called us, asking to be screened as donors. Most importantly, we want to be a local resource to all Oklahoma NICUs, significantly increasing the number of donor human milk prescriptions we fill next year.
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Moms Connect
| Shwetha Pandurangi
Dallas, TX
 When I begin to think about my donation experience, I first start to remember when I found out I was pregnant with twins. I knew nursing would be a challenge, but I was determined to do so because I knew how important and beneficial it would be for the health of my babies.
My daughter and son arrived at 33 and-a-half weeks. I was worried that my plans to nurse both were going to suffer because my daughter weighed 3.3 pounds, my son just under 5 pounds.
From day one of life, my daughter was very fortunate to receive donor milk. Our son; however, received formula for a few weeks until my milk supply was established. From then on there was no turning back.
For the first three weeks of life, the twins were in the NICU so I used a hospital grade breast pump to help establish and increase my milk supply. When we were able to bring them home, I exclusively nursed both babies and by four months I had mastered the art of tandem feeding. With persistence, diligence and support from my family and wonderful twins, I was able to produce large amounts of milk.
Learning about the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas through the nurses in the NICU, I decided to become a donor so that I could give back and help other babies in need. I always wanted a daughter, and when she arrived she was exactly the way I imagined her to be -- delicate and beautiful.
I am so thankful both babies are healthy and I know it's because they received human milk.
 The twins are now 14 months-old and are growing strong each and every day. My experience with the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas has been so delightful and I will always be grateful to the mother that donated the milk my daughter received. Having donated 130 ounces to the Milk Bank, I hope my contribution has enabled another infant to go home stronger and healthier.
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