Helping Hurricane Harvey Victims: One Mom's Unique Donation

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Sep 07, 2017

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In the wake of the destructive effects of Hurricane Harvey on Texas, many of us are now looking for ways to support and help those hit hardest. One Missouri mom found herself in a very unique position and decided to take action.

Local St. Louis, Missouri news channel KMOV reports about Danielle Palmer’s efforts to help storm victims in Houston by donating a large supply of her breast milk. Palmer explains that after talking with one of her son’s speech therapists who is part of a Missouri based organization called Guiding Star Missouri, she was encouraged to donate breast milk to Texas.

Palmer was able to spare an abundant supply of her milk because of her youngest son Truett. Palmer explains, “Truett has a congenital heart defect along with other underlying anomalies. For a big chunk of his life, he was unable to take my milk. Most of his nutrition came through IV.” So while her son was on a feeding tube, Palmer kept up her supply by pumping and freezing her milk.

Now, with a freezer full of frozen milk she was able to pack up a cooler filled with 1,040 ounces of what some call liquid gold. After doing the math Palmer explains, “We gave 1,040 ounces and we figured that up, if a normal baby gets three ounces, that's 346 feedings.” Those feedings will be a big help for parents and babies in need after power outages have caused many mom’s frozen milk supply to go bad.

There are also instances where moms have lost their pumps to the flood waters or are just too stressed to produce an adequate supply. Palmer explains, “With breast feeding, stress plays a big role in your supply. If you become stressed, your supply will drop.” The organization Palmer donated to, Guiding Star Missouri, is in the process of packing up a deep freezer with donations from across the state and will be driving the loot to a distribution center in Dallas.

What do you think of this mother’s unique donation for victims of Hurricane Harvey?

How are you pitching in?