From NICU Mom to Milk Donor: Kendra’s Story

Kendra, of Whitesboro, Texas, never imagined her journey into motherhood would begin in the NICU. Her daughter, Kassie, arrived early at 34 weeks, and like many premature babies, she needed extra support in those first critical days of life.

For one week, Kassie received pasteurized donor human milk in the NICU while Kendra worked to establish her own supply. During that time, Kendra and her husband leaned on the compassionate care and guidance of the NICU nurses, an experience they will never forget.

Once Kendra’s milk came in and she was able to fill the NICU freezer, it was those same nurses who encouraged her to consider becoming a milk donor.

The idea made her laugh. Growing up on a dairy farm in Michigan, Kendra jokes that producing an abundance of milk like a cow seemed almost “meant to be.” To date, she has donated more than 3,000 ounces of breastmilk

Kendra shares, “It means a lot to me to help other mothers and babies. While my birth journey didn’t go as planned, I am glad I could achieve something positive from the experience.”