Milk for Baby Anthony

Milk for Anthony 

Baby Anthony is a 9 month old infant who is in desperate need of human milk.  Due to low milk supply mom and severe allergies to formula, he has been diagnosed as Failure to Thrive (currently weighing about 13 pounds), Septo-Optic Dysplasia, Absence of Corpus Callosum, and Optic Nerve Dysplasia. The only food that he can keep down is human breast milk. At this point in time Anthony has been solely suriving on donated Breast Milk throw a feeding tube thanks to some amazing mothers willing to share.

Anthony's Story

Anthony's start in life was a rough one. His short life here with us has been hard. filled with struggles, despair, but also hope. When Anthony was born we both had an infection raging inside of us. When he made his way in to the world there wasn't a sound. Hedidn't cry and wouldn't breathe. The infection inside took its toll on his little body and he was whisked away to the NICU. 

Anthony in NICU:

I would have done anything for him, but the only thing I could do at the time was pump milk. He wasn't strong enough to nurse or even cry out. I pumped every 2 hours  on each breast, and I would be lucky to get just a few ounces after an hour. I was so desperate that I would squeeze my breast to get every drop possible to the point that I was all bruised. I was determined that I was going to provide him with what he needed most.

Soon after, Anthony started to get stronger. But as he got healthier, it seemed my milk supply started dissipate. Just as he was getting healthy enough to come home, my supply was down to nothing. I couldn't make enough milk for him anymore! So we turned to formula.

Right away we noticed a change in him. He was colicky, and restless with long nights of screaming that wouldn't subside for anything.  It was so bad at times, and I couldn’t stand watching his little face in so much pain. The doctors worked with us, switched him to many different brands of formula over a good period of time. With each change of formula his reaction got worse and worse. He started to throw up during every feeding. There were so many times when we would be heading to the hospital because he was turning purple and wasn't breathing. He got so constipated that he would sweat all over his body and start to bleed.

Some of the formulas we tried. There were more brands, but we had already thrown away the containers.

 Soon a bad situation turned dyer after months of trying different formulas. Anthony was wasting away in front of our eyes. Our small town doctors were not listening to my plea! It was months of trying everything. He got so lethargic he wouldn't even cry anymore, and we were at the doctor’s every week.  Before we know it his milestones were passing him by. I kept telling the doctors my concerns, but for them it was normal and we were told to just give him time. His feedings got few and far between, and it took hours to just drink 3oz of formula. Finally he wasn't even on the charts for his weight, height, etc.

This is a video of Anthony, seemingly blind. He's four months old, but the size of a newborn. We took it for the doctors to look at, because they didn't believe us.

After months of struggles we made a decision to ask for donated breast milk. It's what worked for him at the start of his life and it was the best chance we had. With the doctors not listing to my plea for my son's life, I had to do whatever I could. I would not, and could not let my child waste away in front of my eyes. We reached out to our community of mothers, pleading, and asking for help.

 Finally, our plea for milk was heard!!

Within the first week on donated breast milk, Anthony gained four ounces! We were over joyed with some positive news. It took him a month to gain three ounces with formula. His color started to come back in to his skin; he started to move and act like a normal baby. He starting to make little sounds and cry out for me again. It was hard for me to think this little child so full of life was totally different just a week prior. There was so much improvement - even more then what we expecting in just a week's time. All of this with just donated breast milk! That's when I knew just what he needed - breast milk. Watching my child laying in my arms, moving his little legs and his eyes sparking with the light of life was amazing. I knew our choice to choose another mother's milk over formula didn't just give my a chance to grow and become healthy again - it gave him life!

I was a mother on a crusade. I was going to do whatever I could to find the milk he needed, whether it was my own or from other mothers willing to help. I was going to do all that was in my power to get him the milk he needed so badly. 

Soon after our plea was aired on our local news station:

Then, we were shocked to find a letter in the mail from our son's doctor discharging us from her services. This was due to our choice to give Anthony donated breast milk. The doctor stated she discharged him from her clinic because she did not believe in me “soliciting breast milk”. It was a blow to us because our son's outlook was just turning around. Our weekly visits were filled with hope with each ounce Anthony put on. Our son needed medical care; his life was a struggle and we thought with the testing that the doctor finally gave in to, there might be some answers. We felt as though she was finally hearing our plea to find out what was going on with our child.

When she discharged Anthony from care, all the testing had to stop. The hospital would not accept him without a primary doctor. I called our insurance and I was mocked, humiliated and yelled at for being so "irresponsible and stupid for feeding my son donated breast milk". As a mother, I would do anything I could to save him, and they were not. They were watching him suffer, but they were not the ones holding his limp body in their arms as he was slowly dying. I was. We felt we weren't doing anything "irresponsible" or "stupid".   

Letter from doctor 

I regret to inform you that I am withdrawing from all professional care for Anthony. This decision was made based on the recent events revolving around soliciting breast milk for Anthony without my knowledge. It is clear to me that you are in disagreement with my recommendations and not following my instructions. I do not feel I can provide adequate medical care for Anthony if you do not trust my professional judgement.

I will be available to see Anthony on an emergency basis until January 15

It was such a frightening and frustrating situation, when I would call doctors and they would not take him because of our choice to give him donated breast milk. After so many calls and rejections, I was starting to get scared. Finally, we were able to find an amazing doctor who actually listened to us. She took a closer look at his medical file and made us aware of the red flags that should have been seen and taken care of many months prior. Our new Doctor admitted Anthony to the Children’s Hospital (OHSU) in Portland, OR  the next day. In the days that followed, we were able to get some answers.

Unfortunately, we found out that my son is missing his Corpus Callosum and he is blind, though we don’t know to what extent. He was diagnosed with Failure to Thrive, Septo-Optic Dysplasia, Absence of Corpus Callosum and Optic Nerve Dysplasia.

A PICC line in Anthony's line at the Children's Hospital. He is so small  that it wouldn't fit in his arm.

We also learned that Anthony's stomach doesn't digest food properly. This is the main reason he is so allergic to formula. Finding out this news was hard and disheartening for our hopes of our son's life. But at the same time, we also found out why breast milk works for him. Breast milk is easier to digest than formula, and he could not process the formula leaving his body. It gave his little body no nutrition. When we made the choice to switch to donated breast milk, we made the choice to save our son's life.

At this time, we were filled with so much gratitude and appreciation to all the mothers who donated to Anthony. These women helped saved my son life without us even knowing it. And with that, I will be forever thankful of their sacrifice to help our dying child. No words could express what we feel in our hearts about what these mothers gave to us.

Anthony has many struggles  ahead of him. Developmentally, he is like a two month infant. He will need therapy and on going support. It's very important to us to keep him on donated breast milk, because he's making leaps and bounds with it each day. The fatty acids and enzymes found only in breast milk offer the best support for Anthony's growing body and brain development.

I am reaching out to my community, to my friends, family, and anyone reading my son's story to help me find donations for my baby! Anthony will need to stay on breast milk to continue his upward growth and support for his best chance at life. My son's life is in your hands. I can't give him what he needs and my Anthony is totally dependent on the kindness of others to give him a fighting chance.

 At this time the best way to contact us is to e-mail Yecenia (Anthony's mama) at yeceniababy1@gmail.com . We are setting up drop centers across the state. Please check out the Donate Milk to Anthony tab at the top of the page to see if there is one in your area! If you would like to help in other ways please click on the Other Ways You Can Help tab at the top of the page. Also if u are looking for up to date info please read the updates on Anthony Tab, or join our Facebook page set up with updates on Anthony: www.facebook.com/babyanthonyfoundation

Thank you from Miguel, Yecenia, and Anthony!