Donating to the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas throughout the last year has been quite a journey. Becoming a donor mom has truly been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. I can't think of a more worthy cause than the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas.
Four years ago, I had my son and realized that I had an over-supply of breastmilk. At the time, I didn't know what to do with my excess milk. Unfortunately, I discarded it.
Last year, I knew when I had Madeline that my milk supply would be comparable to what it was with the birth of my son. With that in mind, I researched my options, including selling my milk or donating my milk directly to another baby. I didn't really feel comfortable donating my milk directly to another baby because I couldn't guarantee it would necessarily be 100 percent safe for that baby.
Ultimately, with the encouragement of my lactation nurse Lou, I made the decision to donate to the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas. Lou, who works at the Harris H-E-B Lactation Center, was flabbergasted when I told her that I discarded my first child's excess milk. Lou gave me information about the Milk Bank and the encouragement which made me more comfortable that the decision to donate to the Milk Bank was the right fit for me.
Throughout my journey I had never-ending support from the lactation consultants at Harris H-E-B Lactation Center and Simone at the Milk Bank. Whether I was dropping 100 oz. or 600 oz., they always graciously thanked me for the donation and reminded me that I was saving lives.
There were days that I wanted to quit. There were days where I just wanted to throw the pump out the door and run over it with my SUV. I pumped around the clock at home and at work. It was hard juggling family, work, and pumping, and Simone knew I was exhausted. She always lifted my spirits and told me that no matter what, I've helped so much already.
The Milk Bank made it easy for me to continue to donate by giving me prewritten labels, shipping milk containers, and offering to have a courier come pick up my milk during an ice storm. Because they did what was needed to make my life a little bit easier, I never gave up.
It's a balancing act to be a mom to a three-year-old boy and a newborn, working full-time, breastfeeding, and pumping. However, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I am here to tell you that if I can do it, then so can you.
I encourage you to donate any amount of excess breastmilk you can to give premature and critically ill babies a fighting chance in life, and I'm proud to have donated 12,249 ounces to the Milk Bank.
The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas has been a huge part of my life this past year, and I am honored that I can contribute to such a wonderful cause.
Breastfeeding/Pumping Tips -
- Relax, Relax, and drink lots of water.
- Never give up! I hear many moms tell me they give up because they were only able to pump a few ounces. Remember the more frequent you pump the more you will produce, but it will take some time.
- Lastly, don't be so hard on yourself. Whether its one ounce or five ounces you are still helping your precious little one*. Same rule applies for donating. Whether you are able to donate 25 ounces or 100 ounces, every ounce matters.
NOTE from Amy Vickers, Executive Director of the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas:
*Remember, as little as 1/3 to 1/2 an ounce can be enough for a preemie baby feeding. When you donate milk to a milk bank that serves the tiniest babies who are in hospital NICUs, 1 ounce goes a long way.
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