Mothers' Milk Bank Austin

Alison Beshur, milk donor to the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin and mom to two boys, spent the 26 days leading up to her youngest son's first birthday in a "pumping marathon" for the milk bank. Read more about her amazing story below, in her own words. ___________________________________________ I have amazing friends. Dozens of them rushed to help, when I reached out for donations to support a 26-day pumping marathon I recently completed for the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin. During the pumping marathon, I pumped 532 ounces for the fragile babies. To match, more than 30 family members and friends gave more than $1,600 for the milk bank, and a few more donations are expected. The monetary donations will support the organization’s Charitable Care program , which funds donor milk for premature babies whose families don’t have insurance or can’t afford to pay for the life-saving milk. I’m still surprised by the generosity of my family members and friends. Knowing...

At 10 weeks old, baby Eva was smiling and starting to coo and interact with me, my precious second, and last, daughter. I was getting into a routine, feeling more confident, having so much fun being home with this endlessly happy child. But it was time. I was heading back to work after what seemed like the blink of an eye since I had given birth to her. I got dressed and packed up the car that morning, preparing to ease back into my work life—folding up the pajama pants, my daily uniform, and dusting off the heels. But as I loaded Eva up into the car, I wasn’t filled with the same anxiety and dread as I had been just three short years earlier when I had done the same with my older daughter, Olivia. Eva and I left the house together that morning, but instead of going through all of the emotions of dropping her off in someone else’s care for the first time, we kept driving. Together. With my office equipped with a pack n play and a swing, and doting co-workers stopping in fo...