Donor milk comes full circle.

09/30/2022

“Donor milk got my baby going through those first few days in the NICU until my milk came in. I love the thought that my milk could be doing the same thing for other babies.”

Donor mom Lourdes’s son Aaron was born two months early and ended up spending 3 weeks in the NICU. The family’s time in the NICU was overwhelming and stressful, but Lourdes said Aaron was in the best hands. Due to Aaron’s early arrival, he received donor milk for the first few days of his life.

When Lourdes’s milk came in, she realized she was overproducing “big time,” so much so that the NICU ran out of room to store her milk for Aaron. Lourdes had previously learned about breastmilk donation when she ended up with a freezer full of extra milk after breastfeeding her first son, Daniel. While pregnant with her second son, she hadn’t yet given donating again much thought. However, with such an oversupply, Lourdes realized she was able to donate again. She has now donated 278 oz and a total of 609 oz with both Daniel and Aaron, dropping her milk off at a depot close to her home. Aaron is now 7 months old and thriving.

As NICU Awareness Month draws to a close, we are so grateful to share Lourdes full circle NICU and donation story! It’s not uncommon for donor stories to be intertwined and influenced by NICU experiences, either through a donor’s own child, or a family member or friend’s NICU experience.