Preemie mom Hanny is a proud immigrant and Tiny Treasures donor

“My husband and I are from Ghana and have two daughters, Itiya, 3, and Chana, 7 months. I love to cook and volunteer at my church. My favorite meal to make is Jollof Rice, which is a West African dish.

Both Itiya and Chana were born at 28 weeks, but a few years apart. Itiya weighed 2 lbs, 5.6 oz, and Chana weighed 1 lb, 6.5 oz.

While in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), they received donor milk for a week after birth, followed by Prolacta’s fortifiers for several weeks. I believe the fortifiers played an essential role in helping them thrive, since it contains all the vital nutrients needed to keep them strong and healthy.

After Chana was born, I had an oversupply of milk, and the NICU suggested that I could give back by donating to Prolacta. I just completed my first qualification period with Tiny Treasures and hope to continue donating until Chana is 18 months old. While waking up throughout the night to pump for donation has been a challenge, having the ability to provide breastmilk for other critically ill babies like my own is so rewarding.

Donation has also been a blessing to my family. Due to babysitting challenges, I don’t currently work outside the home, so the compensation is a welcome additional income for my household."

My advice to new donors: Trust the process and don’t stress!