In This Issue
News and Events
Anniversary Luncheon
Facebook Friends
Community Partners
Moms Connect
Quick Links

 
News and Events
Quintessence Challenge
October 5

10 am

Dunlap Park Arlington

Sponsored by: The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas and
Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition


 

In the News!

 

NICU helping hands, a local non-profit helping families of NICU babies is helping to provide Angel Gowns to NICUs. Read about this wonderful program in a recent 360 West article that feature our executive director, Amy Vickers.
Click Here to read the article
find out more about NICU Helping Hands-  nicuhelpinghands.org

   


Are you following us on Twitter yet?
Find us @MMBNT 


Are you following us on Pintrest yet?
Find us @texasmilkbank  


Please subscribe to our  BLOG: Texasbreastfeeding.org  

Greetings!

 

We are very busy at the milk bank this month. In July and August we dispensed record amount of donor human milk to fragile and preemie babies. The total for July and August was a combined 75,000 ounces!  

 

 

We celebrated our 9th anniversary with a luncheon.  Please read about this great event below.  This month's COMMUNITY PARTNER article is about the Quintessence challenge that we are co-sponsoring with the Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition.  A fun an exciting "don't miss" event for breastfeeding moms.

 


Our featured mom in MOMS CONNECT is an awesome mom who has an incredible story. For those of you who joined us at the luncheon this month you will recognize Chelsey. An amazing mom!!!

Thank you all for your support of MMBNT,
Amy
Anniversary Luncheon
The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas celebrated its 9th Anniversary Luncheon on September 12 at Ridglea Country Club in Fort Worth. While enjoying lunch, guests heard from two donor mothers, the mother of one of our outpatients, and Mayor Betsy Price.

Melissa Collett and Chelsey Trigueros, both donors to MMBNT, had babies who received donor milk while in the NICU. These women chose to donate back to the milk bank out of gratitude for the donor milk their babies received from other selfless women.

Melekah McDonald's son, Easton, receives donor milk from MMBNT. Melekah shared her story about her struggles with breastfeeding and the severe allergies Easton has to formula which required multiple hospitalizations.  He was finally able to thrive on donor human milk.


Lastly, luncheon attendees heard from Mayor Betsy Price, who commended the work of our donors, volunteers, and supporters. Thank you to everyone who attended the luncheon, and to our corporate sponsors: Pediatrix Medical Group, Baylor All Saints Medical Center, Cook Children's Health Care System, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, Pier 1 Imports, Southwest Bank, and The Amy E. Shewbart Foundation. 
Facebook Friends Share Photos

Here are a few pictures of some of our sweet friends.  The October newsletter will feature pictures of pumpkin babies!! Please send your photos to [email protected]  

We love receiving pictures from our donor moms and their sweet babies! Thank you to all who support and give the lifesaving gift of donor human milk!
Baby Eli and Donor Mom Tashina brought in their last shipment of milk this week!

 

Want to be our Facebook friend? Click here to visit our Facebook Page and LIKE us today!  Thank you!!

 

Community Partners

Quintessence Challenge
October 5
10 am
Dunlap Park Arlington
Sponsored by:
The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas and
Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition


About the Quintessence Foundation and the Quintessence Challenge

Established in Canada in1998, the foundation focuses on breastfeeding education to health professionals and the public. Additionally, the Foundation provides support to programs having a positive effect on breastfeeding and the use of human milk.

In 2000, the Quintessence Foundation sponsored a "latch on" after hearing about a similar event held in Australia in 1999 when 536 children "latched on" at the same time in the same location. In 2001 the first Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge was held. Each year the numbers have gradually grown. With no advertising budget, word has spread via the internet and word of mouth. Sites have varied widely to meet the needs of the community in which they were located. Some have been large groups at malls, government buildings and parks. Others have been small groups in homes, public health offices, WIC offices and midwives/doctors offices and hospitals including NICUs.

The Quintessence Challenge occurs in the fall each year and is now a worldwide event. This event has encouraged community discussion about issues related to breastfeeding and donor milk banking. It has provided a focus for health promotion around human milk and the importance of breastfeeding and the key role it plays in the health of a community. 

Challenges Around the World
In 2002, a large group in Berkley California challenged the Australian record and set a new world record of 1,130 children breastfeeding simultaneously at one site. This world record stood until 2006 when the Philippines set a new record of 3,738 children breastfeeding simultaneously at one site. The Philippines held a second challenge in 2007 with 590 sites and 22,500+ children (22,500 mothers) breastfeeding simultaneously at the same local time at multiple sites. This was certainly an impressive effort!

A number of countries hold a Challenge every year usually with multiple sites with mothers "latching" their babies at the same local time. New Zealand started holding a "latch on" in 2002 and has noted increased numbers with 1111 children breastfeeding at 10am local time on August 1, 2008. France began holding a "latch on" called Le Grand T�t�� in 2006 and in 2007 had 1,360 children "latched on" at 36 sites through out France.

Nona Andaya-Castillo, a key breastfeeding organizer in the Philippines puts it, "This is not a competition among nations, rather it is a global effort to save children's lives."

The Tarrant County Challenge Site

The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas and the Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition are partnering to sponsor a Quintessence Challenge site at Dunlap Park in Arlington. Dunlop Park features an amazing 44,000 sf creative play structure. There is a toddler playground for 2-5 year olds and another right next to it for bigger kids.Winks and Wiggles will be offering  baby yoga sessions and RT PhotoWork will be capturing the memories of the day. Do you think Tarrant County can be the best and biggest in the world!!! The event will include a silent auction with incredible prizes! Auction will end at noon.

Saturday October 5
Dunlap Park Arlington
The challenge is promptly at 11am, sign up begins at 10 am.

Moms Connect

Chelsey Trigueros


Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas Donor Mom Chelsey Trigueros was one of the featured speakers at our 9th Anniversary Fundraising Luncheon on Thursday, September 12, 2013. She shared her personal story with event attendees who gathered together to honor the hundreds of donor moms who have selflessly donated their excess breast milk throughout the past year.

Earlier this year Chelsey's personal story was posted on our blog. There she shared how her husband and mom pumped and collected her breastmilk for her after she was admitted into the ICU right after delivering her first baby via emergency C-Section. She was able to successfully breastfeed her baby after recovering from a critical illness and even became a donor for the milk bank.

Chelsey's story is one of our most-read blog posts with 4,921 views as of September 24, 2013. It has been shared on a number of Pinterest Boards and also received 1,493 LIKES to date.  The supportive comments make us smile. Melinda MuCullough said, "You and your family are amazing! You are so very fortunate for their love and support. And, the donations you are making are a definite "pay it forward". You are saving lives! Best of luck on reaching your goal!"  

And Diane, a Maternity Nurse wrote, "This is good for health care workers in the maternity ward/NICU to know also. Many feel it will be too much stress for the mother to add breast pumping/expressing if she is not well. However, you have expressed/shown how important it is to know you are providing something your baby needed. Which ultimately helps in your healing.Very sweet of your family to help you. Their support is most important. Nice story. I will share this with other maternity nurses."

We appreciate all donor moms and recipient moms who share their stories, both online and in person. And we are very excited with one mom inspires or supports another mom.
Read more inspiring stories and get Breastfeeding Tips at TexasBreastfeeding.org.