June 1, 2020

Texas Children’s is always looking for ways to improve the experience of our patients, families and employees during their time with our organization. We are especially sensitive to our breastfeeding moms and tube feeding parents.

To better support these groups, Texas Children’s has purchased a Mamava, which is a self-contained, mobile pod with benches, a fold-down table, an electrical outlet for plugging in a breast pump, and a door that can be locked for privacy. The 4-foot by 8-foot suite is meant for individual use, but can fit more than one person, as well as mothers with babies and other children in tow.

Named the “Baby Bistro Suite” in honor of our ongoing commitment to breastfeeding moms provided at the Baby Bistro, the pod was recently installed on the fifth floor of Wallace Tower and is now open for use. To use the pod, a visitor or employee will reserve their time using the Mamava app or request a keypad-code from guest services. Information about the suite will also be added to wayfinding signage.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our breastfeeding moms and tube feeding parents such a comfortable, clean, distraction-free space to nourish their children,” said Nancy Hurst, director of Women’s Support Services. “I also am proud of Texas Children’s for its continued commitment and dedication to the overall well-being of these patients, family members and employees.”

Texas Children’s is the first hospital in Texas to unveil a Mamava suite at one of its facilities. Employees from several departments including, Infection Control, Facilities, Supply Chain, Contracts, Surgery, Patient Experience, Marketing and Women’s Services came together to make it happen.

The effort began more than a year ago after Patient Experience conducted some employee focus groups about ways we could improve our overall patient experience. One thing that came up was a need for more private spaces for moms to breastfeed or pump. Often times, these moms use exam rooms, which can interrupt employee workflow, or bathrooms, which are less than ideal. Other options included the Mamava.

“Our executive steering committee signed off on the idea shortly after we presented it to them, affirming that purchasing the pod was the right thing to do,” said Katie Daggett, director of Patient and Family Services. “Creating a private, peaceful space for our breastfeeding moms and tube feeding parents shows we are a family-centered organization that cares about not only our patients, but their entire family.”

Sascha Mayer, co-founder and CEO of Mamava said she is extremely excited to support breastfeeding mothers at Texas Children’s.

“We believe that all mamas deserve a clean, comfortable, and dignified place to use a breast pump or breastfeed distraction-free — anywhere, anytime,” Mayer said. “Mamava pods provide flexibility for facilities and easy access for moms.”

Mamava is an expert in lactation space design, thoughtfully designing solutions for breastfeeding moms on-the-go. With both analog and digital products, Mamava celebrates and supports the 21st century breastfeeding mama. Mamava is women-owned, made in America, and a proud member of the B Corp community. The Mamava app, free for iOS and Android, helps moms find pumping and breastfeeding friendly locations (never a bathroom!), unlocks Mamava pods through a proprietary smart technology system, and delivers useful breastfeeding content. To learn more visit mamava.com.

October 14, 2014

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By Laurel Laviolette

As the donation coordinator for the Mother’s Milk Bank at Texas Children’s, I am grateful to the generous mothers who donate their excess breast milk to our Milk Bank to ensure critically-ill infants in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) receive the nutrition they need to get stronger and stay healthy.

infant2As a mother of three, I breast-fed my babies because I knew it was the right thing to do. Not only does human milk contain essential vitamins and nutrients, it’s also packed with disease-fighting antibodies that protect your baby from illness. Donating your excess breast milk is one of the best gifts you can give to infants in need.

What motivates you? Maybe you know someone who received donor breast milk and you want to pay it forward. Perhaps, your baby prefers her milk straight from the tap and you have a deep-freezer full of milk you stored to go back to work. As a lactating mother, you are in a unique stage of life and in an excellent position to impact your family’s and community’s health. In addition to providing ideal nutrition for your own baby, you can also set aside some of your extra milk for premature and critically ill infants in our NICU. Every mom who donates milk will make a lifelong impact on many babies and their families.

Milk Bank checklist for donating breast milk

  • Always label your milk with the date (month/day/year) and time it was expressed. Most moms are doing this as a matter of habit. This small routine will make the rules that follow much easier to follow.
  • We can only accept milk with one pumping per container. Please do not store a container in the refrigerator and add to the container over multiple pumpings. The main reasons are to avoid excess bacterial growth that can occur along with increased chance of rancidity of the milk.
  • Keep a calendar of dates you or your baby have been sick with colds, fevers, viruses etc. We are unable to accept milk pumped while you or your baby is sick. If you can make a note on the calendar, it will help you to know which dates you need to exclude from your donation.
  • Make a note on a calendar or on your milk storage container of any days you take over the counter or prescription drugs (medicines for allergies, colds, stomach upset, etc.). Most medicines that are considered safe for breastfeeding are not permitted for milk donation. Our Milk Bank has a “washout period” for every medication or supplement, which refers to an amount of time after you take the drug before it is okay to save milk for donation again. Making a note of the day you took the medicine will make it easy for you to separate that milk out when it is time to send in your donation. Since your milk will be fed to very fragile infants, it is crucial to report all medicines and supplements you have taken while storing milk.
  • We cannot accept milk pumped while moms are taking herbal supplements, including teas and preparations intended to increase milk supply, such as fenugreek. Sometimes herbal preparations hide in prenatal vitamins, too. Therefore, if you think you might want to donate milk, read the ingredients carefully on your prenatal vitamins. You can also check with the milk donation coordinator to know if your vitamin is allowed for milk donation.

If you have extra milk, you can apply to be a Texas Children’s Hospital milk donor at www.texaschildrens.org/milk. Click on “Become a Donor.” We are so thankful to all of the moms who give our babies such a special gift.

August 12, 2014

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By Shelly Lopez-Gray

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and every time I go online, I’ve seen pictures of different celebrities breastfeeding their babies. The last one I saw was of Olivia Wilde, perfectly perched in what looks like a diner’s booth, her dress flowing around her, breastfeeding her naked 4-month old baby. The picture is really, really lovely, but I never had one of those moments.

The first time I breastfed my NICU baby, I was so nervous. He was so little, and he was covered with all these wires and tubes and I was afraid I’d hurt him. But I knew that he needed me and I really felt like my breast milk was the medicine he needed to get better. I was so thankful that he was such a great breastfeeder for such a little guy! As a registered nurse and lactation consultant, I know breast milk alters to meet your baby’s needs. I genuinely believe that I helped him get better faster by breastfeeding him.

When I went back to work, breastfeeding became more of a challenge. There were times I couldn’t wait to give it up. Because Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women offers designated spaces for employees to pump, it was never hard finding a place to pump once I came back to work. But it took so much effort to clean the parts, store the milk and make the bottles. It was so much easier to just put him to my breast! But I kept breastfeeding and pumping because I loved being able to do something that would give my baby the very best start.

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My baby is almost a year old now. He is no longer breastfeeding, but I miss it, and if I could still do it, I would. Although I know I never looked like Olivia Wilde perched in that chair, I loved having him so close to me. I loved feeling every breath he took. I loved feeling the weight of his little baby body next to me, and I loved the way he fell asleep in that breast milk coma after I nursed him.

Breastfeeding is beautiful and selfless, and it’s a gift that only a mother can give to her baby. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, it’s not always the most convenient, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for you baby.

If you know in advance that you are going to have a NICU baby, or if you are surprised with one after delivery, the most important thing you can do is pump as soon as possible after delivery to help establish your milk supply. If you are considering whether or not to breastfeed your baby, know it’s not as glamorous as it might look in some pictures. But every ounce of effort is worth it when you hold your baby close and share a moment with him that can only be had between mother and her baby.