Holiday Donor Spotlight — Rebecca
One Donor. One Journey. Over 20,000 Ounces of Hope.
During the holiday season, routines change. Travel increases, schedules shift, and many families find themselves stretched thin. For babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and those with medical needs at home, however, the need for donor breastmilk remains constant.
This holiday season, we’re honored to spotlight Rebecca, a donor mom whose generosity helped provide an exceptional 20,000 ounces of breast milk to babies in need.
Rebecca’s breastfeeding journey began with uncertainty. With her first child, nursing didn’t come easily. She transitioned to pumping and worked hard to produce just enough milk to meet her son’s needs, continuing for about 16 months.
When her daughter Emery was born, Rebecca expected a similar experience. Instead, everything changed. After a smoother delivery, Emery latched easily — and continued to do so! Unsure if nursing alone was enough, Rebecca pumped alongside breastfeeding. Over time, that routine led to a significant oversupply.
Finding The New York Milk Bank
As her freezer filled, Rebecca began searching for ways to help other families who weren’t as fortunate. That search led her to The New York Milk Bank.
“Once I started running out of room, I looked into options to help moms who weren’t as fortunate as me. That’s when I learned about The New York Milk Bank,” Rebecca shared.
What followed was a journey marked by both joy and challenge. Rebecca continued donating through travel, returning to work, and even a broken freezer.
Despite the challenges, Rebecca describes the experience as deeply rewarding. Some of her most meaningful moments came from watching babies — including friends’ children — thrive because of donor milk. She even donated while traveling to Disney in Florida, calling it “pretty cool” to give back at the most magical place on earth.
Scroll below to read more of Rebecca’s breastfeeding and donation journey, in her own words.
Why Donor Milk Matters During the Holidays
During the holiday season, milk banks often experience lower donation volumes while demand remains high. Hospital staffing shortages, increased travel, and illness can all impact donor supply — but babies still need safe, pasteurized donor human milk.
Rebecca’s story is a powerful reminder that donor milk saves lives, and that one donor can make a lasting difference for countless families.
How You Can Help This Season
Whether you have 100 ounces or 20,000, if you are a healthy, lactating parent with extra breastmilk, consider becoming a donor this holiday season. Our team will guide you through every step of the process to ensure your milk safely reaches babies who need it most.
This season of giving, your breastmilk could be a lifeline.
Learn more about becoming a donor here.
Rebecca’s Full Story
“This pumping and breastfeeding journey has truly been just that… a journey. It’s not my first time, since Emery is my second child, but everything felt different this time. With my son, I had no idea what I was doing. I tried to nurse, and it just wasn’t happening for us. I switched to pumping and was making just enough to get him through the day. I made it to about 16 months.
With Emery, I was set on pumping for her and not even trying to nurse. But after a much easier delivery, Emery latched like a pro. I didn’t think it would last, but she proved me wrong. Since I only knew pumping, and was afraid she wasn’t getting enough while nursing, I kept doing both. That became our norm, and I ended up with a large oversupply.
Once I started running out of room, I looked into options to help moms who weren’t as fortunate as me. That’s when I learned about The New York Milk Bank. During our journey, which is still going as of 12/4/25, we’ve dealt with illnesses, travel, the transition back to work, and even a broken freezer.
Some positives have been the bond and deep connection I felt with my daughter in those early infant stages that come with nursing. I was also able to donate milk to friends and watch their little ones thrive, which was so rewarding. I even traveled to Disney in Florida and was lucky enough to donate to the milk bank down there. Getting to say I donated milk at the most magical place in the world is pretty cool.
Some challenges were getting sick myself or when Emery got sick. While nursing, and especially while pumping and donating, there are medications that are not approved for donation. I had to keep track of the medications and when I took them to ensure the milk I donated was also safe for babies in the NICU.
Going back to work and maintaining a pumping schedule was tricky, but luckily my job was understanding and accommodating. Keeping track of pump parts and finding the time to prep and ship milk could also be tough while working two jobs and caring for two little ones.
But one huge positive was visiting the milk bank in person during their 8th anniversary and meeting some of the amazing people who work there.”
