If you know us, then you know we love getting to connect with and share stories from our incredible milk donors and recipients. Today we’re thrilled to introduce you to Emily – doctor, athlete, mama, milk-donor, and all-around hero. Following an emergency C-section Emily’s son, Ethan, was born weighing just under 4lbs . . .
We’d love to know a little more about you and your family . . .
Ethan, my husband Brian, and I live in Ridgefield, Connecticut where I (for the most part) grew up. Between college, medical school, and residency, I spent quite a few years in Boston and New York. But moving back home? That was the best decision because Ethan’s Nana (my mom) lives just 25 minutes away. She’s also our nanny – and a great one at that! I work for Yale as a physician scientist in Pediatric Hepatology and Liver Transplant. I also run a medical practice in Greenwich, CT.
As we understand, Ethan’s birth didn’t go quite as planned . . .
“He’s here!” were my first words on the phone to Brian (and then my parents) after waking up from anesthesia. Ethan’s birthday was the scariest day of my life. We had planned an induction at 36 weeks due to pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Ultimately, as a result of severe maternal anemia and fetal distress, we were forced to have an emergency C-section at 35 weeks. It was terrifying to be put under anesthesia emergently. To not know if my son was okay immediately after birth. Fortunately, the doctors were amazing. They even took my phone to the NICU to have some photos taken while I was in recovery. Weighing just 3lbs 13oz., Ethan was tiny. Thankfully, he was also healthy. As dramatic and unexpected as his entrance into the world was, his NICU stay was short.
Tiny but mighty, your little guy still had one important milestone to reach . . .
While Ethan was not incredibly premature, he was small for his gestational age. He was admitted to the NICU so he could learn to eat and gain enough weight to safely be discharged home in his car seat. I was not able to hold him until I recovered from anesthesia – given instead of an epidural since our C-section was an emergency. This was incredibly difficult at the time, but we seem to be making up for lost time because he doesn’t want to be put down now!
We were told to expect him to need to stay until his delivery date. Thankfully, he only needed an NG tube for about a week. He was able to get to 4lbs over 14days. As soon as Ethan weighed 4lbs, they tested him in his car seat. It took him two tries but he passed, and we were discharged at 11:30pm one night. We may have entered the hospital “noisily” but it felt we were leaving just as quietly.
Both an emergency C-section and a NICU stay can be incredibly overwhelming . . .
I was lucky to be able to be at Ethan’s bedside almost 24/7. We would drive back and forth each day to stay with him. My parents came to visit several times, but really, we were just soaking up time as a little family of three. We didn’t announce the birth until he came home, so Ethan was our special little secret. I actually went back to work as soon as he was born. This meant I could work at his bedside and take my leave when he was home.
Milk banking isn’t very well known outside of the medical setting. This wasn’t the case for you . . .
Believe it or not, my mother was an unofficial milk donor 48 years ago! Of course, it wasn’t a regulated process back then. Today, accredited milk banks like Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast have strict standards and procedures in place to ensure that every sip of donor milk is safe for even the most fragile of infants. However, born at just 25 weeks, my sister spent four months in a Philadelphia NICU. During that time, my mom would pump milk and my father, deemed “The Milk Man” by the NICU nurses, would bring in bags of milk for her. Eventually, they ended up sharing some of this milk with other families within the unit. So, I guess you could say it runs in my family.
The generosity of our milk donors makes a huge difference . . .
As a pediatrician, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. When I immediately had an oversupply, the decision was simple. My little one was thriving off my milk, and if I could make a difference in another baby’s life, I was going to!
And one day you can tell Ethan all about donating milk together . . .
Absolutely! I can’t wait to tell him his courageous and fierce birth story. And sharing his milk with other babies is a very important part of that story.
It’s amazing to see how much Ethan has grown . . .
His birth was fierce, and he continues to be fierce today. He plays with purpose and is constantly on the go. He LOVES any kind of ball or toy car – especially if he can climb to the top of his foam ramp and roll them down! A close second? Mom’s homemade applesauce which is currently his favorite dessert.
Any words of encouragement you’d like to share with . . .
Potential milk donors: Gather the information. Do the interview. It may not end up being for you, but you won’t regret taking the first step.
Active milk donors: What you’re doing is amazing, keep it up! Pumping is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done – and I went to med school and trained for an Ironman. Taking so much time and energy, pumping can be discouraging, but it’s 1000% worth it. Please know that you have so much to be proud of.
Moms in general: I’m putting on my Dr. Emily hat for this one! But seriously, give yourself some grace. Motherhood is hard. If you need help? That’s okay. If you need to supplement? That’s okay. Be kind to you.
Too much of a good thing? We can help! Simple and seamless, click below to learn more about sharing the life-saving gift of your milk.
