Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin Opens Milk Collection Site at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Registered Nurse Hailey Stanford has a sticker on her water bottle that reads “Milk Maker,” and she says she’s proud of that sticker. Stanford, a mother of two, has a total of three freezers at home to store her excess breastmilk. The mother/baby nurse at Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land just became the first mother to donate breastmilk at the newest milk collection site. Her donation of 1,740 ounces nearly filled the donation refrigerator.

          

“When I first heard our Childbirth Center was going to become a milk collection site, I had two words for my boss: take it,” Stanford said. She breastfed her oldest son for 14 months and was excited to do the same for her second-born. He was born with a complete bilateral cleft lip and palate, which left him with the inability to breastfeed. “I had to pump to feed my child but when you pump exclusively, your body doesn’t respond to your baby’s needs, so there was an immediate oversupply. I knew I wanted to donate my milk to help other mothers and I’m honored to be the first donor at our hospital. I understand how disappointing it can be to want to breastfeed your baby and not be able to, so I wanted to help ease some of that stress.”

The demand for human donor milk in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) continues to rise, and now lactating mothers can drop off their breastmilk donations at Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land. The collection site will be serviced by the Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin. Women who are currently breastfeeding infants under 1 year old are eligible to be screened at no charge to become human milk donors.

The collection site at Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land is the only Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin collection site in Fort Bend County.

“We are thrilled and proud to offer this service to moms and babies in our community,” said Theresa Walters, MSN, RN, RNC-NIC, NICU Manager at the center. “We are dedicated to the health and growth of our smallest community members, and this is another impactful way we can meet their needs.”

One of the largest suppliers of donor human milk to hospitals across Texas and in 22 states, the Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin fills prescriptions written by physicians for the most fragile babies who need the life-giving and sustaining nutrition of donor human milk to thrive.

Although any woman can donate her breast milk regardless of where she lives, the new milk collection site at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will make it easier for all donors in Fort Bend County and surrounding areas to donate this scarce resource that has life-saving impact.

“Our reputation for providing safe, nutritionally-analyzed, and labeled donor human milk to hospitals and outpatients has led to tremendous growth in demand—a challenge and also a success,” said Kim Updegrove, executive director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin. “By partnering with Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land we will raise our awareness with a vital audience – breastfeeding women who are uniquely qualified to help save the lives of premature and critically ill babies.”

Nonprofit milk banks like Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin ensure donor human milk is safe and available to the infants who need it most. The pasteurized breast milk dispensed is specifically processed to meet the specific needs of fragile and sick babies. The donor human milk also goes to infants with families in crisis such as maternal emergencies, formula shortages, etc.

Founded in 1999 by two Austin neonatologists, Dr. Sonny Rivera and Dr. George Sharpe, the Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin serves babies with the greatest medical needs, regardless of families’ ability to pay.

“My second son is only six months old and I’m hoping I can continue producing milk for at least another six months – which means I’ll be donating more milk,” Stanford said. “There is no way he could consume all my supply. Knowing I’m helping other families in their time of need is why I come to work every day – it’s why I pump three times every day while I’m at work.”

The Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin had 1,094 approved milk donors in 2022. That year, 869,000 ounces were pasteurized and dispensed to 181 hospitals, two dispensaries and 550 outpatients. The goal for 2023 is 1,500 approved milk donors. Lactating women in Fort Bend County and surrounding areas who are interested in donating their breast milk for the benefit of premature, ill, and medically fragile infants may call 877.813.6455 to begin the screening process. Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at Sugar Land, a level III NICU, is located at 16655 Southwest Fwy, Sugar Land, TX 77479.

About Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin

Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accept, pasteurize and dispense donor human milk by physician prescription, primarily to premature and ill infants. Women who are lactating can donate milk to Mothers’ Milk Bank Austin regardless of where they live. In 2018, the milk bank received donations from 1,180 women and pasteurized and dispensed over 775,000 ounces of donor human milk. Prospective donors across the U.S. may call toll-free 1.877.813.6455. Learn more at milkbank.org.

About Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is committed to leading medicine by delivering the Houston Methodist standard of unparalleled quality, safety, service and innovation to patients in Fort Bend County and surrounding areas. With more than 1,300 affiliated physicians and 2,900 employees, Houston Methodist Sugar Land offers access to the most innovative care available, including comprehensive cancer care; neuroscience and spine care; orthopedics and sports medicine; heart and vascular care; women’s services; childbirth center with level III NICU; bariatric and digestive care; and advanced imaging — all backed by our focus on healing people today and offering hope for tomorrow.