ARVADA, Colo. — Hospital demand for breast milk donations is increasing as the pandemic continues. In Colorado, Mothers' Milk Bank is asking for more donors to step forward as they try to accommodate the increase in recipient needs to hospitals in Colorado and across the country.
Mothers' Milk Bank is a program of Rocky Mountain Children's Health Foundation. The nonprofit currently dispenses roughly 640,000 ounces of milk annually. About 900 donors provide the milk, which is then processed in their Arvada-based lab.
All the milk that is processed is also tested to ensure that it's safe to be distributed to newborns and young children, many of whom are in the NICU.
Families who are recipients do not incur additional hospital costs for using the donations in the hospital. If a baby has a medical need for human milk after leaving the hospital as well, Mothers' Milk Bank ensures they have access, regardless of financial circumstances.
"We have a big responsibility to make sure that hospitals have what they need for their babies," Rebecca Heinrich said. "It would be wonderful if we had more parents that realized this was an option, that this is a wonderful place to send their excess milk, that they know that this is out there and they could be helping NICU babies."
Mackenzie DeSimone was a recipient when her second daughter Emma was born premature. She is currently returning the gift as a donor, so others can access what was available to her.
"I know that there are kids out there that are getting the milk that I was able to supply, and it's just such a reward that I can't ever explain how grateful I am that I was able to do that. It was huge for me to be able to do that," DeSimone said.
The general guidelines are that you must be healthy and non-smoking. Some medications may make you ineligible to donate. You are required to take a blood test to become a donor as well.
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