From NICU mom to milk donor to winning sock designer, one mother’s journey is a beautiful reminder that even the smallest acts of generosity can make a lasting difference.
At Mothers’ Milk Bank California, we believe that every drop of donor human milk carries a story of love, generosity, and hope. This year’s Sock It Forward winning design, “Small Drops, Big Love,” brings that belief to life through colorful California wildflowers, cheerful suns, tiny hearts, and meaningful drops of milk.
But behind the playful design is a deeply personal story of motherhood, unexpected challenges, creativity, and giving back.
Our winning designer is not only a talented artist and mother of two. She is also a NICU parent and dedicated milk donor who has donated more than 5,000 ounces of breast milk to help nourish vulnerable babies.
A Mother’s Journey Comes Full Circle
Her journey with Mothers’ Milk Bank California began in 2022, following the birth of her first daughter.
Blessed with an oversupply of breast milk, she learned about the opportunity to become a milk donor. What started as a simple suggestion soon became something much more meaningful.
She realized that the extra milk she was producing could provide essential nourishment to babies who needed it most.
When her second daughter arrived, donating again was an easy decision.
Both of her daughters spent time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), giving her a firsthand understanding of the challenges families face when their babies need specialized care.
During her second daughter’s NICU stay at Kaiser Santa Clara, something meaningful happened: her baby was offered donor human milk, an option that had not been available during her first daughter’s hospitalization.
For a mother who had already donated thousands of ounces to help other babies, receiving that same generosity was a powerful full-circle moment.
Una Weiland of Morgan Hill, California, pictured with her family.
Finding Beauty During an Unexpected Hospital Stay
Her second pregnancy took an unexpected turn when her water broke at just 32 weeks, sending her into preterm labor.
Admitted to the hospital’s antepartum unit, she faced an uncertain waiting period as her medical team worked to keep her baby safely growing for as long as possible.
Rather than focusing solely on the uncertainty, she found comfort in creativity.
Armed with paint markers, canvases, and tote bags, she began painting from her hospital room. As nurses came and went, she shared her creations with the people caring for her and her baby.
Painting became more than a pastime. It helped ease her anxiety, brought joy to her hospital stay, and allowed her to express gratitude through small acts of kindness.
Because of her hospitalization, she had to cancel her baby shower, which had been planned around a wildflower theme.
But the flowers found another way to bloom.
California wildflowers became the inspiration for nearly everything she painted. With each creation, her confidence grew, and what began as a way to pass the time developed into a newfound love for art.
A Beautiful Flower Named Mika
Her daughter, Mika, eventually arrived and spent seven days in the NICU.
During those first precious days, Mika received donor human milk until her mother’s own milk supply became established.
Mika’s name means “Beautiful Flower” in Japanese, making the floral elements of her mother’s winning design even more meaningful.
The flowers are not simply decorative. They represent her daughter, the family’s journey, and the beauty that can emerge from difficult experiences.
They also reflect her love for California’s native plants. With a home garden filled with native flowers, she finds inspiration in the resilience and natural beauty of the state’s wildflowers.
The Meaning Behind “Small Drops, Big Love”
Every element of the winning design tells part of her story.
- California poppies and wildflowers represent resilience, growth, her love of native plants, and her daughter Mika.
- Drops of milk symbolize nourishment and the generosity of milk donors who help vulnerable babies thrive.
- Smiling suns represent warmth, hope, and brighter beginnings.
- Hearts and tiny flowers celebrate love, kindness, and the community that supports babies and families.
Together, these elements capture the spirit of milk donation: individual acts of generosity coming together to make an extraordinary difference.
For our winning designer, the artwork represents the entire community of people who make donor milk possible, from the mothers who donate and the families who support them to the milk banks that safely process and distribute this precious resource.
“Small Drops, Big Love” – Winning Sock Design by Una Weiland
From a Simple Painting to a Winning Design
Perhaps the most touching part of this story is how simply the design began.
Using her daughter’s paint pad and her own paint markers, she created the artwork on a whim.
There was no grand plan, no professional design studio, and no expectation that it would become something bigger.
It was simply a mother expressing her creativity through the experiences that had shaped her life.
When her artwork was selected as a finalist in the Sock It Forward competition, she was honored. Winning made the experience even more special.
What began as a creative outlet during a challenging chapter of motherhood had become a celebration of the very mission she believes in so deeply.
More Than 5,000 Ounces of Love
Today, she has donated more than 5,000 ounces of breast milk, and she hopes to continue for as long as she can.
Her generosity is a reminder that milk donation is about more than ounces. It’s about families helping families, mothers supporting mothers, and ensuring that babies have access to nourishment when they need it most.
At Mothers’ Milk Bank California, we are proud to celebrate her as our Sock It Forward winner and grateful for the compassion she has shown through both her milk donations and her artwork.
Her story beautifully captures what this campaign is all about: turning small acts of kindness into something meaningful.
Because small drops really can make a big difference. And sometimes, they help something beautiful grow.
Congratulations to our Sock It Forward winner, and thank you for reminding us that generosity, like wildflowers, has a beautiful way of spreading.
