Donor Stories
For Mother’s Day this year, we invited our donors to share their stories as mothers and donors. We hope their stories and tips can make a difference for other donor moms!
"My name is Lindsi and I am 28 years old. I live and work in a very small town in Tennessee. I am a special education teacher that works with grades 6-8. I have enjoyed my career for the last four years. It is rewarding because I get the opportunity to make a difference in a child`s life every day. My husband, Derek, and I have been together since high school. We have two children: Mallory and Tripp. Mallory is five and Tripp is turning one! Being a mother is a difficult, yet a gratifying job. There are many obstacles that you must overcome and triumph over. One obstacle that has been one of the most disheartening experiences for me is being a working mother. I had Tripp the week after we got out of school for summer vacation. I got eight short weeks with my new baby before I returned back to school. It was a daily grueling thought that I would soon leave my little baby in the care of someone else. How could I be at work and miss all of my baby`s firsts? Would he be cared for? Would they love him? I do not want him to take a bottle, he needs to nurse. Will I be able to keep my milk supply? Every thought imaginable ran through my mind, as I`m sure this is experienced by many other mothers. Is it possible to be a good mother and have a career? Yes, it is! With lots of prayer, trust, and communication I have been able to be work and know that Tripp is extremely well taken care of and he is oh so loved while away from his family. I get daily pictures and videos of my little guy that warm my heart. I know that with motherhood comes anxiety about the decisions you make for your children. Trust in yourself and God that you are making the best life choices for your little ones. After all, He chose you to be their mommy! I have been blessed with a large milk supply. My deep freeze in the garage was full and the freezer in my house was overflowing. I had milk at daycare, my mom`s, mother-in law`s, and grandparents. I had no more storage space. I know so many friends and family who have struggled to produce milk for their baby. I knew that I wanted to share my milk with babies who so desperately need it. I researched different outlets and called the lactation consultant at the hospital. She called Vanderbilt Hospital to see where their NICU babies received milk from. She called me back and within minutes I was on the National Milk Bank`s website and started the process to become a donor. It was been the most rewarding experience. The proudest moment I have is the sensation I get when the FedEx truck pulls out of my driveway with the coolers of precious milk that Tripp and I have been able to share with babies all over the country. Some advice I have for moms thinking about donating: It is extremely easy and rewarding. The Milk Bank and Prolacta are prompt and keep communication open. They answer any questions you have and do all the work. I have requested replacement storage bags and always received them within a couple days. If you are looking for an outlet to send your liquid gold, the National Milk Bank is the best place to get your milk to babies who need it."