Donor Stories
"Hello! My name is Kaitlin, and my bundle of joy is named Briana (Bri). She is 8.5 months old and is THRIVING!
A factor that I attribute to her overall healthiness and (knock on wood) never having been sick thus far is to the fact that she is exclusively fed breast milk. Our family is very much pro-breastfeeding (whether that comes via a bottle or breast) and my husband and I understand the benefits for both the mother and baby. I
am fortunate to be able to produce enough for my little one and still be able to donate excess breast milk to Tiny Treasures! But it has not been easy in getting to this point.
My husband is an attorney in the United States Marine Corps which basically equals LOTS of traveling and very long hours. Being a military family, we had to relocate across the country away from our families, where we decided to start our own. Being a first-time mother is difficult enough, but not having support from any friends or family nearby, ESPECIALLY when my baby and I had difficulty with breastfeeding for weeks was VERY difficult.
I was constantly stressed out and terrified about my little one not gaining weight, and both my baby and I were equally frustrated in trying to nurse. We had about 11 different lactation consultants working with us, and we could not get Bri to consistently latch. I also had very forceful letdowns that did not make things easier for her. Luckily, I adjusted and quickly adapted to the steep learning curve of becoming a mom, and I decided to exclusively pump in order to provide breast milk for our baby. T
he exclusive pumping journey, in combination with becoming a new mom, was definitely the biggest obstacle I've had to overcome as a mother. Providing milk for our baby was extremely important to my husband and I, and even though I had always envisioned being able to nurse my little one, I had to come to terms with the fact that it wasn't in the cards for us and what I was doing was just as good for baby.
Dealing with "mommy guilt" took A LONG time and that in itself was a hurtle and honestly, I'm not sure will ever completely go away. The important thing is coming to terms with not being able to nurse & knowing that having a healthy, happy (fed) baby is what truly matters. After doing extensive research on the topic of EPing (Exclusively Pumping), while also becoming a member of various Exclusive Pumper online groups, I knew this would be a tough journey that would entail lots of sacrifice.
EPing requires pumping every 2-3 hours for about 30 minutes per session and you may experience 3-4 letdowns during the first couple of months. But I also had the responsibility of feeding, changing, and putting down the baby all day long. Oh yeah, and let's not forget about taking care of mom (which didn't happen enough for those first few months)! It was very difficult to prepare meals for myself, which I desperately needed the extra calorie boost, stay very much hydrated, all while trying to heal from my delivery.
I'm not mentioning sleep or bathing, because in those newborn days, it was pretty much nonexistent. I was also taking care of my 16 year old fur baby, Moose, at the time and she is our high needs feline, but we love her & she is part of our family. Although I wasn't technically a single mother, I definitely felt like one and still do at times when my husband is gone for work, however, EPing is now a part of my routine, and I've been able to drop pumps along my journey and am currently down to pumping 3 times a day, for about 75 minutes each session.
Things are more manageable, even with a mobile babe! When my husband is around, he's extremely supportive and loving and will even wash all of my pump parts and bottles before he goes to work and before bed. This helps out a lot! Throughout my EPing journey thus far, I've definitely overcome many obstacles, both physical and mental, however, I've always been fortunate enough to have an oversupply.
Although I'd rather have the difficulties that come with having an oversupply over not producing enough, it hasn't been easy with constant engorgement, leaking, and clogs, but I've learned about various ways to help with this and keep my oversupply in check. Within a few weeks postpartum, our fridge freezer was full so my husband and I decided to purchase a chest freezer. That became full in about 2 months.
We decided to purchase one more deep freezer, but that would be the last since we didn't have room for another. That was almost full around 4 months postpartum, and I was very worried because I didn't want my milk to go to waste. I started rotating my freezer stash by using the oldest bag a day for my baby, but of course, that doesn't solve my problem of needing more room!
Then I heard about different milk banks through my online EPing group, and I quickly checked out Tiny Treasures. Unfortunately, they were not accepting new applications at the time so I completed a form for their wait list. About 2 months later, I received an e-mail stating that I could now apply!
I was so excited, because our freezers had all become completely full, and I had been currently donating to a local mom/friend who had just recently adopted a preemie, HOWEVER, the adoption just fell through about the time I heard from Tiny Treasures so she told me that she had no more need for my milk. I went through the qualification process, and within a few weeks, became a donor!
Honestly, just becoming qualified to donate for Tiny Treasures is my proudest donor milestone, however sending off that first shipment feels SO GREAT! I love the fact that you know where your milk is going, and that it's going to help SAVE LIVES, BABIES' LIVES! I absolutely love that! I've only had the privilege of working with Tiny Treasures for a couple of months now, but I plan on donating for as long as I'm producing and pumping!
I hope to give breast milk to my little one for at least 18 months, but we'll see where life takes us! Although EPing has been the most difficult obstacle I've EVER endured, it's been extremely worthwhile. I get reminded of this every time I see my precious baby, who is doing so well, and honestly, if it wasn't for me having to go through EPing route, I may have never come to realize my potential as a producer, thus not being able to become a donor!
Thanks to both EPing and Tiny Treasures (Prolacta Bioscience), it is possible for me to be part of a very worthwhile cause, and it also helps our family make it where I can comfortably be a stay-at-home mom right now. For moms beginning their donor journey, take it one day at a time! Don't stress and NEVER hesitate to contact your milk bank with any questions or concerns you may have.
I know from experience that Tiny Treasures in particular is extremely organized, very easy to get in touch with, and they communicate with you every step of the way! Also, only donate what you're comfortable with! I know there are a lot of us who may have the irrational fear that as soon as we empty our freezers, we'll suddenly dry up and then our baby won't get milk until our desired goal. I always make sure to have around a 2 month stash in our freezer, just in case of emergencies/medical reasons.
Of course, your "cushion" is going to depend on how close you are to your goal for your own baby, your daily excess, freezer availability, etc ... Also, a must for me and I would say in order for pumping & donation to work, you should have the support of your family & partner!
I don't know how or if I could last this long pumping without the support from my husband. He even helps me pack all of the coolers we've sent so far! Also, when he's home, he helps watch/entertain Briana while I pump.
My last piece of advice is to BE PROUD! You're doing an amazing thing that does take hard work and dedication and no one can take that away from you!"