Preemies and sick babies are immature at birth and don't have the coordination and strength to breastfeed or bottle feed. Consequently, tube feeding delivers the vital nutrients and immunological properties they need to sufficiently grow and develop. 
The majority of donor milk dispensed by Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas is administered in hospitals by feeding tubes. Seeing this process for the first time is difficult and frightening for parents. Before long, it becomes second nature and removal becomes a rite of passage towards recovery and going home. 
Some children and adults have medical conditions that require ongoing feeding tube treatment. To raise awareness and support parents of tube-fed babies and children, Feeding Tube Awareness was founded in 2010 as a 501 (c)(3) organization. In 2011, Feeding Tube Awareness launched the first annual Feeding Tube Awareness Week®, with a mission of promoting the positive benefits of feeding tubes as life saving medical interventions. This week also serves to educate the public about the day-to-day challenges that families face as well as the medical reasons that babies, children and adults are tube fed. As stated on the Feeding Tube Awareness Week website,
Feeding Tube Awareness Week® connects families, by showing how many other families are going through similar things, and making people feel less alone.
For more information about donor milk, the pasteurization process and the babies we serve, click here.