In our book, every single one of our donor moms has accomplished an outstanding feat! Whether a mom donates 100 ounces or 10,000 ounces, each donation is a precious gift.
Since Granbury, TX resident Alicia Richman set a new world record in 2012 with 11,115 ounces, five additional area women have been inspired to pump, store and donate their extra breastmilk to the Milk Bank, also becoming Guinness World Record™ holders for Most Breastmilk Donated. Current record-holder, Alyse Ogletree of Argyle, TX, donated 53,081 ounces (or 414 gallons) of her own breastmilk to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas.
Guinness World Records bestowed its title on 26-year-old Ogletree on August 4, 2014. Cathie Rosado from Landisville, PA previously held the title from July 25, 2014 to August 4, 2014, donating 44,811 ounces to the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank. Fort Worth mother Brittani Goodson previously held the title, from July 16, 2014 to July 25, 2014. Goodson, a 29-year-old mother of two, donated 33,410 ounces of her own breastmilk to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas between November 2012 and January 2014. Goodson was named the record holder only two weeks after Guinness World Records crowned another Fort Worth mother, Katy Edgington, for a similar feat: donating 23,251 ounces.
In 2013, we learned that two more of our donor moms became Guinness World Record Holders. Named consecutively in March 2013, Sara Pascale from Fairview, Texas held the world record for 11,200 ounces; then Dallas’ Karen Merheb became the next record holder with 14,243 ounces.
“We are grateful for these amazing moms,” says Amy Vickers, Executive Director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas. “Their achievements have raised awareness of milk banking and milk donation. We hope this encourages all breastfeeding moms to donate ANY amount of milk to a nonprofit milk bank. Each drop holds the possibility of a miracle for a premature baby. Every ounce counts!”
Meet the Moms:
Ogletree: Two-time donor mom
When he was eight-and-a-half-months-old, Alyse Ogletree’s son Kyle contracted viral spinal meningitis that resulted in a stroke. She continued to pump while her son was in the ICU, filling the hospital freezer full of her breastmilk. A male nurse asked her what she was going to do with all of her milk, and suggested she donate any Kyle didn’t need to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas.
Ogletree was screened and donated 1,880 ounces of her son Kyle’s excess milk. She became a two-time donor mom to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, when she donated 51,201 ounces of her second child’s excess breastmilk.
Goodson: Pumping from the ICU
Brittani Goodson had an oversupply of milk as soon as her son Nicolas was born, and knew she was not only lucky to have more than enough to feed her baby, but also that most moms don’t produce this much milk when breastfeeding or pumping. “I had a lot of milk, and I know that his not the norm,” said Goodson. “If any mom has excess breastmilk, then I encourage her to donate it to a nonprofit milk bank. Milk Banks need all the milk they can get, and both average size donations as well as larger donations help them deliver breastmilk to the babies that need it most.”
While pumping, Goodson was admitted to a hospital ICU for pneumonia. Her family fulfilled her request to pump while she was in the hospital ICU. When she was discharged from the hospital, Goodson realized that she had more milk than her son could consume. An online search led her to an informal milk sharing Facebook page. After donating 1,500 ounces to a mom she found on the site, Goodson saw the same mom sharing the same story and making a plea for more milk on the site the very next day. Disheartened, she asked her OBGYN what she could do with all of her breastmilk, and she referred Goodson to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas.
Edgington: Inspired to Help
When he was two weeks old, Katy Edgington watched over her newborn son Riley while he was in a Fort Worth hospital, pumping her own breastmilk for him and freezing what he didn’t eat. Soon, she also had a lot of milk, more than her son would consume. Edgington learned about the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas from a local news story featuring Richman, who held the Guinness World Record from September 2012 to March 2013.
Edgington remembers how she felt with a child in the hospital, and says her decision to donate to a nonprofit milk bank came from that experience. “Riley was diagnosed with laryngomalacia, a congenital softening of the tissues of the larynx above the vocal cords. He’s been in the hospital a number of times, undergone surgeries and been cared for by different medical specialists,” said Edgington. “It really feels amazing to help other moms and their premature or sick babies.”
The generosity of ALL OF OUR DONOR MOMS give us the ability to feed the most fragile babies safely and compassionately -- and these are primarily premature infants and those with life-threatening conditions or allergies.
Thank you!