Milk Matters

Milk Matters

This week, I got the honor of watching a friend donate 1,153 ounces of breastmilk to our local milk bank. 

 

It was such an incredible feeling to run to my husband and show off this photo and ask him to clean out all of our coolers. 

Trenton Cabral surrounded by Sabrina's breastmilk donation in the shape of a heart.

It took no convincing at all! He was swelling with pride. You see, in 2011, we relied on donors just like Sabrina to provide extra nutrients to Kale. His feedings increased to 3oz every 3 hours before I was even released from the hospital. Being without your child means that your production lacks, and for some, never arrives. 

 

Sabrina Cabral has produced excessive milk since giving birth to her second child, Trenton in August 2017. I've witnessed her kindness when she made the decision to assist a co-worker by donating milk when they adopted  a child in early 2018. 

 

She realized earlier this week that her freezer had met capacity. Without skipping a beat, she called for backup and gathered coolers and bags and registered to become a donor at our local milk bank, Texas Milk Bank. 

Once we arrived, she downplayed the donation- "Is this a large donation?", asked the lady at the front desk. "Not really, I don't think so. " When the woman arrived with a small cart, her jaw dropped as we all realized this donation wouldn't be fitting solely on this cart. 

Once inside, we assisted the transfer, filling up multiple trash bags- I believe 4. She showed us around the facility and we got to peek at the lab where they test and separate the milk. 

It was incredible to watch the process and to know that my friend was going to be responsible for helping so many sweet NICU children in our area. 

 

With tears welling in her eyes, we loaded up the empty coolers and headed back home. I reminded her how amazing it was that she was able to contribute, to which she replied, "And that was just October- December 2017!" 

 

I imagine we will be making that journey again very soon! 

 

 

If you have an excess supply, please consider donating your milk to a local milk bank. 

North Texas- https://www.texasmilkbank.org/

Austin- https://www.milkbank.org/

San Jose- http://www.mothersmilk.org/

Orange County- http://milkbanking.net/donation-process

Tennessee- http://www.milkbanktn.org/index.html

New York- https://www.nymilkbank.org/

Florida- https://milkbankofflorida.org/

 

 


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