How an Allergy Created a Donor

Thursday, 2/18/2016

As a healthcare professional, Amanda knows the importance of breastfeeding, and she was determined to provide the best for her newborn son. When health complications prevented him from consuming any of the milk Amanda pumped, she found a way to care for both her son and other babies in need.

Amanda’s son, Jax, developed gastrointestinal issues early in life. When he was around 6-8 weeks old, Amanda and her husband Jason noticed blood in Jax’s stool. A doctor’s visit suggested that Amanda make changes to her diet to eliminate potential allergens in her breastmilk. 

Jax continued to have problems, which led the family to a pediatric GI specialist. This doctor indicated that Jax was likely highly allergic to milk and/or soy, so Amanda continued to restrict her diet and monitor Jax’s diaper for blood. When checking on him in the middle of the night a few weeks later, Amanda discovered Jax’s worst bloody diaper yet, which turned into a visit to the ER at Cook Children’s Medical Center.

After a discussion at the hospital, Amanda had a new plan: put Jax exclusively on formula for a month to give his intestines time to heal and recover, and begin breastfeeding afterward with a strictly controlled diet. Amanda’s whole diet consisted of raw fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh meats prepared at home. Eating out became a thing of the past. This plan got both Jax and Amanda on the right track, and Jax was able to successfully take breastmilk. However, one question remained: what to do with the breastmilk in Amanda’s freezer that Jax couldn’t have?

Amanda was disheartened to think of discarding all the milk she’d collected for Jax before learning of his allergy. Fortunately, she remembered a post on the home webpage of her employer, Texas Health Huguley Hospital, about its Labor and Delivery unit becoming a depot for Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas.

“At that moment we knew,” Amanda said, “this was all a part of a much bigger plan that involved so much more than just our precious Baby Jax.” So far, Amanda has been able to provide approximately 600 ounces of breastmilk as a donor mom, and she is thankful to be a part of the MMBNT family. “Donating means the world to me,” Amanda said. “The fruit of so much time, effort, and love will be put to the best use instead of just discarded.” 

For more information about how to become a breastmilk donor, click here.