To celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August, Mothers' Milk Bank (MMB) - which collects, processes and provides donor human milk to babies across the country - asks healthy, lactating parents who have extra breast milk to consider donating to help save another baby's life.
ARVADA, Colo., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- To celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August, Mothers' Milk Bank (MMB) - which collects, processes and provides donor human milk to babies across the country - asks healthy, lactating parents who have extra breast milk to consider donating to help save another baby's life.
A key to a healthy future, human milk provides newborns and babies with essential health benefits, such as immune properties, hormones, and enzymes. In its 2022 report on breastfeeding and the use of donor human milk, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recognizes breastfeeding and donor human milk as the standard for infant feeding and nutrition and recommends that infants be exclusively breastfeed for six months after birth. If mother's own milk is unavailable, donated milk from a milk bank like MMB, which is approved by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), is the next best choice.
"Human milk is the best, first food for all babies," explains Rebecca Heinrich, director of MMB. "Human milk - whether it is a parent's own or donated - saves babies facing critical medical conditions and can help prevent long-term health issues such diabetes and asthma."
For nearly 40 years, MMB, a program of Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation, has provided donor human milk to babies in Colorado and throughout the country. The majority of MMB's milk goes to neo-natal intensive care units (NICUS) to help support the most fragile of babies. The remaining milk, about ten to 20 percent, is made available to outpatient families who are impacted by events like the formula shortage, as well as families who need a little extra supply while moms milk comes in or who don't have access to breast milk directly, as often happens in cases of surrogacy or adoption. This year, MMB has dispensed over 350,000 ounces of donor human milk, with more requests for outpatient milk coming in every day.
"At MMB, we are dedicated to providing premature and fragile infants in the NICU as well as outpatient families in need with donor human milk," says Heinrich. "This isn't possible without donor families. We encourage any new, healthy, lactating parents to consider donating."
For more information about donating your excess breast milk or if you need donor human milk for your baby, please contact MMB at 303.869.1888 or visit milkbankcolorado.org.
About Mothers' Milk Bank:
A nonprofit program of Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation, Mothers' Milk Bank (MMB) collects, processes, analyzes and provides pasteurized donor human milk to babies across the country. Babies who receive donor human milk are often premature or have severe illnesses and need human milk to thrive. The milk bank, located in Arvada, Colorado, is the nation's second oldest nonprofit milk bank and consistently one of the largest sources for donor human milk for hospitals across the nation. In addition, the bank adheres to the strict guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, HMBANA. For more information visit http://www.milkbankcolorado.org.
About Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation:
Our mission: to improve the quality of life for families, sick children and infants throughout our communities by providing support when and how they need it most.
Throughout the year, Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation provides direct assistance to more than 7,500 pediatric patients and their families in need. Thousands of babies in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) will receive precious donor human milk, children with serious medical conditions will be matched with loving companion dogs, and families will receive non-financial support in difficult times.
The Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation is committed to improving the overall health of children and provide an avenue for community support by offering a variety of services rooted in three major areas:
- Patient & Family Assistance provides direct support to patients and families to help cover critical non-medical costs such as gas and grocery cards, transportation, rent and mortgage, and other expenses that become overwhelming while caring for an ill or injured child.
- The Stink Bug Project supports families who have a child diagnosed with a serious medical condition. The Stink Bug Project matches well-trained, loving companion dogs with families throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
- Mothers' Milk Bank is a nonprofit milk bank and adheres to the strict guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). Mothers' Milk Bank collects, tests, processes and provides donor human milk to fragile babies across the country.
For more information visit http://www.rmchildren.org.
Media Contact
JENNIFER NUHFER, Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation, 1 303.941.1050, [email protected]
Jodye Whitesell, Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation, 720.507.0909, [email protected]
SOURCE Mothers’ Milk Bank
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