Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin

In Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T13:24:00.001-08:00

Sometimes it seems that life is an uphill struggle, filled with uncertainty. Yet, there are so many things to be thankful. One of the things I am thankful for this year is something that actually gives me more hope for our future. I am reminded daily through my job that people do believe in community and selfless acts of kindness.

Since beginning my job as Donor Coordinator for the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin, my perception of my position and where I work has changed immensely. In the beginning, I knew a bit about the Milk Bank but not the entire story. I knew we gave donor milk to babies whose moms could not provide it themselves. Being a huge proponent of breastfeeding, it took me a while to digest that we specialize in a particular population of babies: the most medically needy. These babies require pasteurized milk for their safety. If the tiniest baby has even the remotest chance of survival, we have to ensure complete and utter safety to give them that chance. I appreciate our mission now more than ever, especially after speaking to our amazing donors who are helping with this cause, some of whom have actually lost their own babies and know what it is like to be grieving.

Being a part of this mission is what gives me hope. It gives me hope that there is a sense of community survival in our society. It shows me there are altruistic people who have a vested interest in the future and the babies that will become a part of it. There are countless numbers of organizations that endeavor to make this world a better place and I am lucky to work at one.

I am thankful that there is a sense of community in this world where, despite their own struggles, people give to those in need and contribute to the betterment of society. And perhaps someday, one of the preterm babies we have distributed milk to will win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Valarie Campbell

What Starts With a Phone Screening...

2011-10-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

When I received the call from the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin that they would like me to come in for an interview, I was ecstatic. What made the call even more exciting for me was that I had applied for the Office Assistant position, but they wanted to know if I would be interested in the Donor Coordinator position that was also available. Upon learning that this would be a job that meant I worked closely with donors to help them through the screening process, I knew this was exactly what I wanted to do.

Having been with the Mothers’ Milk Bank for over a year now, my job has not lost any appeal to me at all. Every day I meet new amazing women who are willing to make an incredible donation to help out others. We laugh and cry together and share anecdotes about our experiences. I have interviewed everyone from doctors, lawyers, SAHMs, WAHMs, entrepreneurs, retail workers, moms using WIC, unemployed moms, bereaved moms, students, professors, charitable organization directors, deacons, and just about any background you can think of. These women come from different walks of life yet they all share a common goal: to give an amazing gift that only they can provide to help save the lives of infants in need of human milk.

One of the most rewarding things I gain from this job is, knowing our donors have a sense of pride for making such a wonderful contribution to society. As well they should. It takes time and energy to produce enough milk for donation. When you express milk, it is a product of yourself: everything you have put into your body, the amount of rest you have had, the love that goes into continuing expressing because you know it is what is best for babies, even if it means waking at four am and dragging out the pump and containers to do so. It can be almost physically painful to pour pumped milk down the drain due to losing it to a power outage, or a freezer door being left open.

Being able to produce milk for our most medically needy population is such a wonderful gift. I truly admire and respect all the women who commit to making this contribution. Donating human milk through a human milk bank is a gift of hope and a gift of life. It is something that comes from our deepest emotions to fight for survival and a mother’s instinct.

Valarie Campbell, Milk Donor Coordinator

World Breastfeeding Month in Review!

2011-09-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind the month of August was as we celebrated World Breastfeeding Month! While we work tirelessly all year long to spread the word about breastfeeding and milk banking, MMBA took full advantage of this dedicated and special month to do even more!

We kicked off the month with a bang thanks to our friends at the local Austin WIC (Women Infants and Children) Clinics—we had the opportunity to attend not one, but TEN Prenatal and Breastfeeding fairs that they were hosting! What a great chance for us to meet with new moms and tell them more about how to become a milk donor.

Speaking of WIC—our Outreach Coordinator, Kara White, attended the annual Breastfeeding Reception hosted by one of our WIC depot locations in Bryan/College Station. They were so excited to hear that mothers from their community have provided over 36,000 meals for premature babies! We also officially opened a new milk collection site at Mom’s Place Breastfeeding Clinic at the North Austin WIC office which will be a great resource for more of our donor moms. The WIC program promotes breastfeeding and provides ideal milk collection sites for those women with extra milk.

Mid-month, we were honored to co-sponsor the Central Texas Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies event: “Breastfeeding: Mother Nature’s Masterpiece Art Show”. This was a 2-day event that consisted of a fundraising dinner and art auction, followed by a family-friendly community event with live music, snacks and giveaways. What a fabulous party! And as a bonus, the winning piece of art, painted by local doula Natasha Triplett is now prominently on display in the milk bank lobby.

We had so much fun at a variety of other events, including stops in Lampasas for a Breastfeeding Reception, hosting a Back to School Health Fair, attending a Baby Fair at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, as well as a fun day at Blooming Pregnancy Spa & Imaging Center’s 1 year anniversary Birthday Bash! However, one of the real highlights of the month for us was welcoming the Milk for Thought’s Latch On America tour to Austin!

Milk for Thought’s goal is to work collaboratively to empower pregnant and breastfeeding moms by connecting them to local experts and counselors, baby-friendly hospitals and birthing centers, support groups, and other mothers who are out there and want so much to help. Thanks to the milk bank’s public relations firm, Momentum PR, Austin was picked among 30+ cities to be included in the tour. We co-hosted a community gathering at Zilker Park and then brought the Milk for Thought crew to the milk bank for a private tour and lunch. Milk for Thought is creating a documentary of their experiences. We are hopeful that some of the extensive on-camera interviews with our Executive Director, Kim Updegrove, will be included in the documentary to highlight the importance of milk banking in all communities!

What an incredible month it was for raising awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, and we are so thankful to have had so many opportunities to connect with people in our community. We hope that these efforts will help further our mission to save the lives of premature and fragile babies through the use of safe and effective donor human milk!

Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge!

2011-09-12T14:04:00.001-07:00

A little healthy competition is fun, right?

Join us on October 1st when Austin will be participating in the International Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge. The goal of the challenge is to get as many moms and babies breastfeeding at once as possible. The city with the most participants is the winner!

The event is being co-hosted by the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin; Central Texas Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies; and the Sustainable Food Center. It is a free event and is open to the public. It's a great way to promote, protect and support breastfeeding women and their families. We will also have fabulous door prizes and free give-aways!

We want Austin to win this year! Please help us by spreading the word to any and all breastfeeding moms that you know. Do you think Austin has a chance? We do!

Who: Breastfeeding Moms and Babies!
What: Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge
Where: Republic Square Park Farmers Market, 4th & Guadalupe, Austin, TX
When: Saturday, October 1st Check in at 10 a.m. Latch on at 11 a.m.

Latch On America Press Release

2011-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to yesterday's blog post, we wanted to share the press release for the "Latch On America Tour" community event that will take place at Zilker Park on Thursday morning!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Austin contact: Anne Lasseigne Tiedt, APR - Momentum Public Relations for Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin
anne@momentum-pr.com or 512-784-3805

Latch On America contact: brettan@milkforthought.com or 619-318-3536

Austin selected as one of 30 cities for “Latch On America,” national grassroots campaign and documentary film to support moms, promote breastfeeding and infant health

Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin and local hosts invite moms-to-be and breastfeeding community to meet Latch On America and its ‘Big Pink Bus for Breastfeeding’ at Zilker Park on August 18, 10 a.m.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – August 15, 2011 – Breastfeeding is beautiful but it isn’t always easy. On Thursday, August 18 at 10 a.m. at Zilker Park’s Pecan Grove, local breastfeeding and infant health advocates will host “Latch On America,” a nationwide grassroots tour that’s exploring the unique breastfeeding culture in cities across the United States. Roaming the country in a 40-foot pink bus, the Latch On America team will meet with local moms and other leaders to learn how Austin supports and empowers its breastfeeding moms.

This two-hour “gathering event” in the heart of Austin is co-hosted by several local organizations that work to improve infant health through breastfeeding, including the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies; Heart of Texas Lactation; State of Texas Women Infants & Children; and Texas Breastfeeding Coalition.

“We are grateful that Latch On America chose to visit Austin as part of its nationwide tour, because it is another opportunity for Austin’s expansive breastfeeding community to come together and celebrate families made healthy through breastfeeding” says Kim Updegrove, executive director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin, which collects and dispenses donor human milk to hospitals caring for premature infants.

As part of the gathering event, Latch On America will interview moms about their breastfeeding experiences. After the gathering event at Zilker Park, Latch on America will tour the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin and continue speaking with local and state lactation experts.
Goals of the Latch On America Tour include supporting the 20 steps of the Surgeon General’s Call to Action for breastfeeding, connecting new moms with lactation experts, increasing awareness for local breastfeeding resources, and learning about and document the unique breastfeeding culture in each city. Along the way, a documentary crew will capture the amazing breastfeeding stories of mothers and advocates as well as profiling organizations that are taking action to empower breastfeeding moms.

Produced by Milk for Thought, the Latch On America Tour embarked July 13, 2011 from San Diego, CA with the goal to support, empower and connect the breastfeeding community.
When the road trip was announced, Milk for Thought founder Ryan Comfort was wowed by the passionate response from breastfeeding supporters in cities and towns across the country — from Poughkeepsie to the Navajo Nation to Seattle — who rallied to bring the big pink bus to their city.

“The Latch On America Tour started with an initial idea to rent an RV and drive cross country to meet all the amazing supporters and moms who are taking action for the breastfeeding community. Now, because of the excitement and overwhelming response we got, the trip has gotten bigger, 40 feet of pink bus bigger, with stops in more than 30 cities!” Comfort says.

“We are thrilled for the Latch On America Tour to stop in Austin. After talking to several community leaders and supporters, it was clear that the city has a very strong, creative breastfeeding community, and we are especially excited to visit the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin, a non-profit milk bank which has led the way in analyzing nutritional content of human milk in order to optimally meet premature infants’ nutritional needs.”

"We are going to meet some incredible people and inspire others,” says Comfort. “Really, we are just honored to collaborate to provide real solutions and support not just to breastfeeding moms, but also to their support network.”

About Milk for Thought
Breastfeeding is beautiful, but it’s not always easy. Every mother who wants to breastfeed should have easy access to the love, support and encouragement she needs in one friendly and reliable place. MilkforThought.com works collaboratively with all members of the breastfeeding community to help new moms have a successful breastfeeding journey by connecting them to local experts and counselors, baby-friendly hospitals and birthing centers, support groups, and other mothers. By providing an online platform, the entire support community can comprehensively support new parents, change attitudes, improve national rates of breastfeeding, and impact legislation. To learn more, please visit MilkforThought.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

About Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin
The Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accept, pasteurize and dispense donor human milk by physician prescription, primarily to premature and ill infants.

Donor human milk — what is it exactly?
· It’s life saving nourishment for sick and premature babies.
· Its pasteurized breast milk scientifically analyzed to meet the specific needs of fragile and sick babies.
· It’s passive immunization against everything scary — and —
· It’s Mother Natures’ Most Powerful Prescription.

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The Latch On America Tour is Coming to Austin!

2011-08-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, August 18th the big pink Latch On America bus will be pulling into Austin and we plan to show them a good time! We will help host a community event on Thursday morning at Zilker Park from 10 a.m. to noon. Then we will host them at MMBA later in the afternoon for a tour of our lab and interviews with breastfeeding supporters from throughout the city. Most importantly, we want them to know that Austin supports breastfeeding and milk banking!

We hope you will be able to join us on Thursday morning, or help spread the word—contact Kara@milkbank.org for more information or print out our flyer to share with everyone you know: Austin_Latch_On_America_Details.pdf

In Memory of Vivian

2011-06-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

Every baby deserves human milk and every grieving parent deserves to heal. I’m paraphrasing words that Kim Updegrove, the Executive Director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin spoke to me during a conversation we had in the first days that I met her. Those words still echo loudly when I think about the wonderful stories of selfless giving that so many grieving mothers have shared with me over the last few years. It is the story of my wife, my daughter, and the hundreds of donors I have met along my journey, which began the evening of August 8, 2008.

The nurse blamed a faulty monitor and rushed out of the room, but the realization that something was seriously wrong came when the doctor stormed into the room frantically searching for a heartbeat inside of my wife’s tummy. But there wasn’t one to be found. Our daughter, Vivian, just days away from her arrival, had not survived an undetected infection. Our dream of having our third daughter was over in just a few moments.

My wife’s milk came in the day of the funeral and it was her cousin, a physician, who suggested she donate her milk. My wife soon garnered the courage to apply to become a donor and sent her milk to be tested. Over the next year, she donated in excess of 8,000 ounces of human milk and became a huge advocate for a human milk diet for all infants.

One such infant was a baby that my wife got to know and was able to provide human milk to in order to help her with a serious digestive disorder. She continues to see that baby and follow her growth and development. I believe that donating milk was the single most important aspect of her grieving process and helped her to slowly climb out of the despair of losing our daughter.

So impressed by the depth of her story and in search of a film project to start, I decided to write, direct, and produce a short film entitled “Mother’s Milk” which I completed in late 2009. I premiered the film in Houston then took it on a 3-city tour showing it to over 800 people and telling our story. In almost every case, people told me they had no idea that milk banks existed. The story needed a wider audience if it was really going to impact others and save lives.

I began working on a documentary project that has culminated into an award-winning documentary entitled “Prescription Milk”, which I hope will eventually find its way onto national television network because the stories and interviews are so compelling. It includes stories like Kelly Durrant who donated over 100 gallons of milk after losing her daughter. Donations from Kelly, and others, helped babies like the son of Christal Suson, who survived his life-threatening birth defect by receiving human milk. The story also chronicles interviews with leading experts who make milk banking possible to save lives.

Please support Kim Updegrove, her amazing staff in Austin, and all the donor moms in Texas by telling your friends about these stories, making a donation, or volunteering. But most importantly, tell every young future mother you know about the importance of breastfeeding and donating excess human milk for our at-risk babies struggling to survive.

-Kevin West

Prescription Milk trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJFrnUZGndM

Giving Back

2011-05-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

My son Tyler was born 4 weeks early. He was 4 pounds, 5 ounces - small for that stage of pregnancy due to what I was told was called Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). In order to keep his weight from dropping while waiting for my mine to come in, Tyler was given donor milk for the 1st 2 days of his life. I was so grateful that this was possible!

I'm sure that largely because of this donation of nutrition, he was able to avoid needing NICU services & was also able to stay with me in the birthing center and to go home with me without an extended hospital stay.

In an effort to stimulate my milk to come in ASAP, I began pumping immediately after delivery - every 3 hours as I would normally feed. Consequently, my milk came in in droves - I could have fed triplets, I'm pretty sure! I froze piles of extra milk. It took about 6 months for Tyler's consumption to catch up with my production. I was, therefore, able to donate almost 200 ounces of milk to the Mother's Milk Bank.

This made me feel like I had been given the opportunity to say 'Thank You' in actions as well as in words for the gift that was given to me, my son, & my family as he began his life.

I've long since stopped breast feeding. Tyler is now a 6 year old Kindergartener, & his little sister Ashley is 4. However, in lieu of milk my family continues a tradition of making a monetary donation to the Milk Bank every Mothers' Day - in honor of my kids' two grandmothers & in remembrance of the day that I first became a mom myself.

Julie Mankinen

Former donor mom and financial supporter of MMBA

March for Babies!

2011-05-11T14:26:00.002-07:00

Oh, what fun we had last Saturday at the March for Babies walk, benefiting the March of Dimes! After weeks of putting our team together and fundraising and organizing our tent, the day was finally here!
As a team the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin raised $1,625...not bad for our first go at this! And not only did our staff walk, but we had donors and recipients join us as well, which was a huge bonus. It was especially rewarding to us to have the Roy Family participate in the walk. Baby Ike is no longer a baby, but a healthy talking 2 1/2 year-old with long curls, and we all celebrate his progress from a donor milk-fed infant with a tracheostomy.
As an organization we sponsored a Lactation & Changing Station for the walk. Situated between the Family Team tent and the bouncy house, we were in a perfect spot for people to discover this new addition to the walk. Being our first time out there providing this service we weren't sure what kind of response we would get, but it turned out to be fantastic. Everyone was incredibly appreciative and we even had the chance to meet quite a few NICU graduates that had received milk from the milk bank.
Let me tell you more about our set up--we wanted to provide a quiet and comfortable place (out of the sun) for moms to come and nurse or change their babies. The awesome Austin baby boutique, baby coco, agreed to loan us some fabulous gliders for the day, and they also set up a beautiful "changing station". At some points during the morning, there was actually a line out the tent door of people waiting to come in, (noted for next year to have additional changing stations!) and the gliders were almost always full!
Not only did we provide a breastfeeding friendly service to the participants, but it also allowed us to share more about MMBA and the benefits of breastfeeding and donor human milk. Success all around! A poignant moment of the day came when a mother of a four-month-old came in and sat down to use one of the gliders to feed her baby. Through tears she told us that her miracle baby had been born at just over 1 pound and had received milk from us, and she was certain "that without the milk he received from the milk bank he would not have survived." Another mother came by just to say thank you for having this tent and that she wished we had been there two years ago when she was nursing. And others came by to say thanks for donor milk that supported their now healthy and beautiful children.

As the walk began, our fabulous volunteers from the National Charity League, along with a few of our milk donors, stayed to man the tent while we walked! It was incredibly powerful to be walking down the middle of Congress Avenue with thousands of other people who are passionate about the health of babies.

Thank you to the March of Dimes for being open to our partnership and letting us to support the breastfeeding community in this way. Thank you to our wonderful staff and volunteers who made sure it ran smoothly. Thank you to baby coco for being our in-kind sponsor and going above and beyond our expectations. Thank you to all of those who shared their stories--your happiness keeps up going. And, finally, thank you to all those who believe in and support what we do! We hope you will all come out and walk with us next year!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

The most important thing she’d learned over the years was that there was no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one. –Jill Churchill

Happy Mother's Day from all of us at the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin!

David's Story

2011-04-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

David was born at 38 weeks gestation with intrauterine growth restriction. Weighing only 2.4 pounds and measuring slightly longer than 12 inches long, he was immediately taken to the level III neonatal intensive care unit at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. He would spend the next 80 days and nights working on gaining weight and stability. Diagnosed with Russel Silver Syndrome, David has a complicated diagnosis with symptoms including leg length discrepancy, hypospadias, poor/lack of appetite, gut dysmotility, reflux, and delay gastric emptying.

David’s parents share their story:

Since David came home, we are making continuous changes to our lives, this is 24 hours non-stop living. Also, medical follow ups are so frequent that we are asking the Texas Medical Center for a monthly parking pass. We are pleased that David is being taken care of by all his physicians because we are seeing improvement and development from each appointment to the next one. If we have to review our learning process since the pregnancy, which included visits, ultrasounds, and labs, every new appointment was more stressful than the previous. The last week before the C-Section was so intense—doctors did not want to tell us an estimated weight, but of course we are expecting low weight birth. We prayed for over a kilo to have biggest chance to succeed. Now, 18 months later, we cannot complain at all. David is beyond expectations, starting to eat tiny bites…but it is a start!

We must tell the story and where we are now: after mommy ran out of breast milk our GI Doctor told us to start feeding with a baby formula (Neocate) and only 3 days after using it we changed again to another baby formula (Elecare). However, both made reactions on David. The GI Doctor suggested doing the paperwork to use donor breast milk from a milk bank. Here is when we started to receive weekly supplies of donor breast milk from Mother’s Milk Bank of Austin. By that time, David was only 3 months old and the donor milk suits perfectly for an infant. The explanation from David’s RSS specialist and Pediatrician is simple “There is no question that it was the best nutrition for him at one time, ie. when he was an infant.” Why? “It was good because breast milk makes small curds and leaves the stomach easily.” This was important to David because of his delayed gastric emptying. We suspected David is cow’s milk allergic, so it was a great alternative to cow’s milk based formulas when he was younger. The doctors said it may have also helped his immunity and prevented him from getting viruses brought home from school by his older sister. The Doctor's said, “We can tell you that we are sure that donor milk was perfect for David during his infant stage." It helped him to grow and make his developmental skills easier with all his therapies and medical appointments. Now he is ready to move on to start a new stage of non cow milk formula and discontinue the donor milk this spring season.

We would like to thank the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin because David always was (and still is for the few coming weeks) a special top priority case. Even when we scheduled medical visits out of Texas (except NY) they ship to our hotel without hesitation. Moreover, MMBA ships every week and a half, as per our request, in order to have David’s supplies without any delay. We are truly pleased and will always remember our Monday email to MMBA with David’s weekly request of Rx donor breast milk. MMBA will be part of David’s life book. Even now that he is almost finished with his donor milk feedings, we will continue to support MMBA with sponsorship and spreading the word to encourage more people to sustain MMBA. Please don’t stop what you are doing, you are doing great!!!!

By Clara and Mauricio Gross

Powerful Prescription! One Mom's Story of Receiving Donor Milk

2011-02-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

I truly believe in nature’s most “powerful prescription”, donated human breast milk. I have two beautiful little boys that have two very different stories as to how they were fed. When my first child, Cooper, was born in 2006 I knew there was a milk bank, but unfortunately that’s all I knew. Cooper was born at 34 weeks and remained in the NICU for over 3 weeks, mainly with gastrointestinal issues. I know how rich in antibodies and immune fighting properties breast milk is, so I did everything in my power to breastfeed him. However, I was unable to produce adequate breast milk, so his only option was formula. I remember feeling like such a failure. After 2 years of chronic illness including ear infections, diarrhea and vomiting, Cooper was diagnosed with an immune deficiency (CVID) and food allergies (EE), including milk and soy. Cooper now receives weekly infusions to build his immune system and we watch his diet closely.

Fast-forward 4 years and 2 days and my second child, Cash, was also born preterm at 35-36 weeks. Knowing our history, I began looking at my options with the milk bank prior to his arrival. I had two concerns at that point—first, how could I afford to buy the milk and second, how safe is the donated breast milk? Since I am a Registered Nurse specializing in mother baby care for over 11 years, I spoke with the staff at the milk bank and researched their website. I learned the milk is pasteurized and the donor mom’s are tested for certain diseases, which made me feel confident that donated milk was a safe choice for us. I am willing to have a blood transfusion from donated blood and I felt donated breast milk was the same concept.

My second concern was about the cost. I called the milk bank and spoke with whom I now believe is our guardian angel, Kim Updegrove, about my options of payment. I was told that we could file a claim with insurance since I had a strong family history of the immune deficiency and food allergies and we had a prescription from our doctor. I will admit I did not start Cash on the donated breast milk immediately because I was scared of the costs and how I would pay for it. Therefore, the first few weeks of Cash’s life I fed him formula (milk and soy) and he immediately began to vomit and spit up after each feed, and eventually developed a rash on his face and chest. I remember I called the milk bank crying about how sick Cash was—and with that one call, our lives changed. The milk bank stressed to me that getting Cash well was the most important thing, so we discussed a payment plan since insurance had not given approval yet. Wow, I still get tears in my eyes when I reflect back on how caring they were. At that point I knew the milk bank was not about money, but about helping babies in need—and my baby was definitely in need.

The next day I received my first shipment of breast milk and literally cried when I got it. I knew my baby’s immune system was going to be so strong and he would no longer be sick. After a few days Cash was no longer vomiting, his rash started to clear up and he started sleeping better. After a few weeks he was a completely healthy, normal newborn who was thriving on the breast milk. We continued to receive our milk week after week while we waited for insurance to make their decision. Even when the milk bank’s supply of milk was low, they went out of their way to find us milk from another milk bank to make sure we received what we needed. After a few months, our insurance agreed to cover the cost of the milk and Cash continues to grow and thrive on the breast milk.

We are so fortunate that, up to this point, Cash has not been sick, nor does he have any signs of the immune deficiency like his older brother. Call it what you want, but I believe he is healthy because of the selfless mothers who are willing to take a few extra minutes a day to pump, so babies like my son Cash can enjoy the wonderful benefits of breast milk. I truly believe if my first son had received breast milk he would have a completely different story regarding his immune deficiency.

I encourage you to help spread the word about the milk bank! If you are considering becoming a donor, think of the mom’s out there like me who are unable to give the gift of breast milk to our babies. DONATE TODAY for them and SAVE A BABY'S LIFE. I would also suggest for recipient mom’s who receive the donated milk to please recycle your empty milk containers and give back to mother earth the same way a mother gave back to you!

Blessings,

Michelle
Recipient Mom

Exciting Opportunities Abound for the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin in 2011!

2011-01-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

We’ve been absent from the blogging world for a while, but that is because 2010 was an extremely busy and exciting year for the Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin. Thanks to healthy breastfeeding moms who recognize the need to donate to the neediest babies, we approved over 400 milk donors and pasteurized and dispensed approximately 290,000 ounces of milk in 2010 – that’s more than 2,250 gallons! Preterm birth rates remain high and the challenges for their own moms to produce milk remains an obstacle. To meet more of the demand, we hope to approve 500 donors in 2011 and increase our dispensed milk by 10%! These goals are two of many for our ever-expanding organization as we strive to improve outcomes for the medically fragile infant in the safest way possible. Our ultimate goal is always to serve more babies and save more lives!

One of the exciting projects we have been working on is the Donor Alumnae program for retired donors. We introduced the Alumnae group back in May and since then we have grown to nearly 50 members. Alumnae serve to continue the relationship between the Milk Bank and families who donated. It’s a great way to meet and relate with other moms as well, and we’re putting together plans to have everyone get together throughout the year – just for fun! We are thrilled about the idea of being able to deepen our relationship with donors and to offer inspiring ideas for mothers to continue to be involved with saving lives. If you would like more information about the Alumnae group, please contact Kara White, Outreach Coordinator, at kara@milkbank.org or (512)579-3971.

Another important factor in spreading the awareness about milk banking is also spreading the word about the amazing benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural way to bond with your baby and give your child a nutritional foundation that will last a lifetime. But it isn’t always easy. Many moms struggle with the logistics of breastfeeding in a society that isn’t always willing to accommodate them. That’s why having support and information is so vital for breastfeeding success. Thanks to the internet, moms are able to get encouragement and education even if they live in a remote area or face negativity from family members, neighbors and friends about their choice to breastfeed their babies. Here are some ways that you can help promote and support breastfeeding:
1. Give a Nursing Gift.
A nursing "care package" can be a fantastic baby shower or new baby gift. Fill a basket with supplies to make a nursing mom's life a little easier.
2. Offer up Your Time.
Often times, new moms need lots of help. Offer to wash the dishes, do laundry, clean or cook a meal while mommy nurses.
3. Highlight the Benefits.
Make sure that husbands and/or partners know all about the benefits of breastfeeding, especially how much money they are saving!
4. Go Out in Public.
It may be hard at first, but a great way to feel good about breastfeeding and comfortable in your environment is to make it a normal part of your life. Breastfeed wherever you are.
5. Acknowledge Other Nursing Moms.
When you see other moms nursing in public, give them a smile or a nod or make a comment about how wonderful it is to see other nursing mommies. It’s a great boost of confidence for you both.
6. Talk About Breastfeeding.
If moms start talking about all of their breastfeeding challenges and obstacles, try to focus on the good and talk about your positive breastfeeding experience.
It is our duty, as a leading industrialized country, to change the perception about breastfeeding in our culture. We are slowly making progress, but every little step counts! We hope that you will join us in meeting our goals for 2011 and do your part in spreading awareness and information about milk banking and breastfeeding.

Former milk donor? We want YOU for the Milk Donor Alumnae Group!

2010-05-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

Donor moms are a special group of women who selflessly share their extra milk to benefit the health of babies they don’t even know. And many say they want to stay involved with the Milk Bank’s good work, long after “retirement” from milk donation.

Another important fact: Many women who are screened as donors tell us they heard about the Milk Bank from current or former donors. And we pay special attention to this feedback, since one of the Milk Bank’s goals is to approve 400 new milk donors this year!

No doubt about it, former donors are among our most powerful advocates and ambassadors – and we want to help them stay engaged with our mission. That’s why we have created the Milk Donor Alumnae group!

Interested in joining the Milk Donor Alumnae? You can choose a role that suits your interests: Help us spread the word and attract new milk donors, volunteer at our Austin office, or make a financial gift to the Milk Bank in support of our programs. We’ll thank you with a special alumnae gift. And if you help us spread the word, you’ll receive a helpful list of outreach ideas and a packet of materials you can use to tell others about milk donation.

Former donor moms have already shared the most precious gift of their surplus milk. And we now have a way to help them continue to mobilize that goodwill for the next generation. To learn more, contact Milk Donor Recruiter Rebecca Sorensen, rebecca@milkbank.org or 512.579.3968.

Our big thank-you party

2010-05-12T10:46:00.001-07:00

St. David's Foundation threw a party at our place the other night, so their trustees and staff could see what their big grant did.

There were tours of our new office, waiters walking around with tiny yummy food, and wine, of course. But the best part were the stories. (Okay, and the cute babies.)

First off, some of us learned the milk bank was hatched by Dr. Sonny Rivera, NICU nurses and others in the cafeteria at St. David's Medical Center. We also learned the answer to the question: is there a relationship between St. David's Episcopal Church and the hospital? (The answer is: sort of. The church gave two doctors a loan to start Austin's "baby hospital," which is now the St. David's Healthcare System!)

But the best story was the one shared by the mom of a baby who received donor human milk from us. Her son Davis was born last summer, 3 weeks early. After a serious bout with jaundice he went home, but soon she knew something was seriously wrong. He wasn't getting bigger - he was shrinking. Alarmed, she took him to his pediatrician and received a scary diagnosis: "Failure to thrive." At two months old he weighed just 7-1/2 lbs! A self-confessed research-aholic, this mom already knew about the milk bank and how her doctor could prescribe milk to hopefully help her little boy grow.

And of course he did. Baby Davis was sitting right there with his dad, fat and happy as any baby we've ever seen. He's developing on schedule and did we mention his cuteness? Some people saw him flirting with another baby there named Mattie.

We don't often have parties with wine and waiters at the milk bank. But we did the other night so we could celebrate an extraordinary gift . We'll let you decide if it was the one from the St. David's Foundation (which made it possible to move into our extra-large offices where we can process more milk & milk donors and recipients can find us) - or if it was the gift little Davis got.

We're voting for both.

Cheers!

New digs for the milk bank

2010-05-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

We've moved! And the dust is settling at our fabulous new space in central Austin. We couldn't be more thrilled to share it with our donors, volunteers, friends and supporters!

Our new home is decked out with three state-of-the art pasteurizing labs, a drive-through Milk Drop for milk donors, a meeting room where groups can gather, more space for our volunteers to share their time and talent, and expanded office space for our staff.

Speaking of staff, their rave reviews keep coming in:

"Space, space and more space! I have so much paperwork to do, materials to send out and packets to make throughout the week and I love that I now have the space to do it. Plus, the ease of accessibility appears to have attracted more donors to come inside, and it's great to see donor moms and their babies."
-Kara White, Milk Donor Coordinator

"I think the best thing about our new location is the ease of use and visibility for our most valuable assets - our donor and recipient families! How wonderful for these moms and children to no longer have to negotiate a parking garage, and then a long and winding hall to our very small office!"
-Anna Swisher, Clinical Coordinator

"My favorite thing about the new office is the smile it brings to the faces of moms dropping off donated milk, their babies who see the fun colors and toys, and families picking up milk for their sick babies. The colors are bright and soothing. The reception area is inviting, and kids love to play with our toys while they wait.

And my other favorite thing is the peek-through window in the milk pouring lab. Last week I saw a brand-new mom (with her tiny one) who was dropping off donated milk watch our staff and volunteers process milk. Her face revealed her awe that her donation is joined with the donations of dozens of other women to help some other new mom's struggling baby.

The smiles. That's the best thing."
- Robin Bradford, Development Director

Stop by sometime to see our new-and-improved digs. Smiles guaranteed.

You'll find us just north of the U.T. campus and near St. David's Hospital in Medical Arts Square: 2911 Medical Arts St., Suite 12, Austin, TX 78705.