When Mom is happy, the whole family is happy!

by Cecilia A.

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I learned about the possibility of her having a genetic condition called sickle cell disease, but I was unprepared for what that would look like when she arrived. Through newborn screening, we learned she had sickle cell disease, and our lives changed. Navigating all of her appointments while pumping milk was very difficult. We learned about donor milk and were able to use it to keep her bilirubin levels safe and avoid further complications.

I continued to pump night and day to signal my body to produce enough milk, nursing every hour and pumping right after feedings. Once I established a system, I had no free time. I started taking short walks to get a break, but as the primary feeder, my husband would often call me home to feed the baby. Even though we had pumped milk available, I was protective of my supply and hated to see it go to waste, so I began running to cut my walks in half—and that is how my running journey began.

I quickly realized that I loved running; it helped clear my mind and gave me necessary time for myself. Now, I go on runs with all three of my children, and we all love it! I have completed one marathon, and this will be my second. I believe mothers need the opportunity to continue doing the things they love to preserve their own well-being, because when mom is happy, the whole family is happy. Please support my journey as I complete my first Twin Cities Marathon with Minnesota Milk Bank For Babies!

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