Erin Baker
Arlington, TX
In April 2013, I was pregnant with our first baby and started to have high blood pressure. My doctor and I agreed to induce labor at 39 weeks and 2 days. Once I was admitted into the hospital, my water broke before my doctor could come in and break it herself! After 13 hours of labor, my doctor and I were ready to greet my daughter, Elizabeth. My doctor was so committed to meeting her, she delivered Elizabeth with a broken wrist that she’d broken the previous day. The delivery went smoothly, and we happily held the newest member of our family.
I am a pediatric physician assistant, and I have always known that I wanted to breastfeed my children and try not to use formula if possible. Things were not going well, so I worked with lactation consultants and researched, and later tried, so many different potential solutions. I had a very hard time breastfeeding at first due to Elizabeth being lip- and tongue-tied, and I was struggling with terrible pain and over-production. Once we had her ties corrected, I then was diagnosed with nipple thrush on both sides. Even still, I was determined to breastfeed Elizabeth.
One day, the pain became so bad that I cried out and had tears streaming down my face. My husband suggested for me to stop breastfeeding; he hated seeing me in such pain. I was determined, so I persevered. I’m glad I did, because I made it through the tough times and breastfed Elizabeth for 12 months.
In July 2013, my sister, Vicky, had her first baby. My nephew, Andrew, was so lethargic that he had trouble latching to feed. When I visited them in the hospital, I learned that Andrew received donor milk at the nurses’ suggestion instead of formula. Elizabeth was almost three months old, and I was overproducing milk -- even after all the previous trouble I had. When Andrew was about to be discharged, there was concerns about how he was going to continue to receive breastmilk until my sister’s milk came in. I asked if I could donate my milk to Andrew. The hospital’s lactation consultant said that the hospital could not recommend sharing breastmilk outside of a milk bank due to certain risks, but if we felt comfortable with it then that would be our decision. This was my first experience of donating my milk to someone else, and who better than my own nephew. It inspired me and really made me think about donating my excess breastmilk. I had thought about it before Andrew was born, but giving to Andrew prompted me to call the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas to be screened as a donor mom.
Cousins Andrew and Elizabeth
Once I completed the donation process and approved as a donor, I dropped off my milk about once a month at the Green Oaks WIC office in Arlington.
Elizabeth Baker
I loved being a donor mom. It is one of the best things I’ve ever done! Because I work in pediatrics, I see premature newborns go home once they are stronger and healthier, after receiving donor milk. I am someone who gives the gift of nutrition to babies and their mothers. I’ve shared such an important source of life they might not otherwise had and this has touched me more than words can express. If I was in their place, then I know I would be grateful to have my baby receive donor human milk because it is such a wonderful benefit to the health of the baby.
I would encourage moms with extra milk to look into donating to a nonprofit HMBANA milk bank. It is an indescribable feeling to help and mother an infant who needs the support given through donor human milk feedings. Your support can make a difference!
Being a mother is hard enough without figuring out how to handle how to breastfeed. What if that new mom’s breastmilk hasn’t come in yet and her worry is, “How am I going to feed my child?” I wanted to help with that burden, and that’s why I became a donor mom for the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas.