In a joint statement with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, Colorado-based Mothers’ Milk Bank expresses need for human milk donors
DENVER – January 19, 2021 – Mothers’ Milk Bank (MMB), a nonprofit program of Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, is in need of human milk donations to help provide nourishment for babies in neo-natal intensive care units (NICUs) across the country. In a statement released by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), nonprofit milk banks in the United States and Canada highlighted an increased demand for donor milk, which ensures life-saving medical treatments for high-risk infants. MMB urgently asks new parents with excess milk to consider donating it to help babies across the country.
“For a pre-term or high-risk infant in the NICU, donor human milk can make a significant difference in their ability to grow and thrive,” says Rebecca Heinrich, Director of MMB. “For every ounce of milk, we can feed a micro-preemie in the NICU for a day, meaning every donation we receive has a profound impact on the families we serve.” In addition to providing hundreds of critical vitamins and nutrients, donor human milk is evidenced to dramatically reduce the occurrence of necrotizing enterocolitis, a life-threatening disease that affects premature infants. “Simply put,” Rebecca adds, “donor human milk saves lives.”
Coupled with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increased demand for donor human milk naturally creates a need for more donors. “We have seen more and more demand for pasteurized donor human milk from our hospital partners, with some NICUs prescribing it for over 95% of their patients,” Heinrich says. “The positive outcomes associated with its use are well established and extremely compelling, and we are seeing that reflected in our requests from hospitals.”
Lactating people interested in donating their milk are encouraged to apply to become a donor on our website or by calling 303.869.1888.