Donating breast milk saves lives
Breast milk offers the perfect balance of nutrients for all newborns. For premature and sick babies, breast milk is especially important to their health, growth and development. Some mothers aren't able to produce breast milk for their babies. These families rely on donated human milk to help their babies thrive.
Human milk contains antibodies that protect infants from infections and allergies and has numerous components that promote growth.
WeeSteps in Fort Collins acts a milk depot for the Mother's Milk Bank in Denver. We have a freezer for collecting milk from screened donors. The milk is dropped off by the donating mom and is then transported to the Milk Bank.
Human donor milk is pasteurized which ensures safety for babies while preserving the unique immune properties that are so vital to the babies that need human donor milk.
Donating milk requires that mom:
- is in good health
- is medication-free (except for: vitamins and minerals; food supplements, progestin-only birth control, or
- replacement hormones: thyroid, insulin) while collecting milk
- is a non-smoker and not using any Nicotine products.
- has milk in excess of her own baby's needs
- passes blood tests with no detection of HIV-1 and 2, Hepatitis B and C, HTLV-1 and 2 and syphilis.
- limits use of caffeine; (a waiting period is required after alcohol use before donating milk)
- is willing to donate a minimum of 150 ounces total
Babies that receive are usually sick and therefore are more sensitive to medications that wouldn't affect healthy babies so being medication-free is important.
Babies that might need human donor milk include:
- Any required infant feeding supplement
- Hypoglycemia
- Prematurity
- Formula intolerance
- Pre- and Post-surgical nutrition
- Multiples
- Adopted infants
- Immune therapy
To become a donor, call the Mother's Milk Bank at 877-458-5503.
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