The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank is celebrating the grand opening of a new milk drop location at the Clinton County Health District WIC, in Wilmington, on Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m., according to a news release. The new milk drop site, located at 111 S. Nelson Ave. Suite 1, will house a freezer to store donated human milk, which will then be transferred to the milk bank in Whitehall at no cost to the donor.
The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, under the guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), provides pasteurized human milk to those infants whose mothers are unable to provide milk to nourish their babies. It is one of just 33 milk banks in North America – 30 in the United States and three in Canada.
“We are thrilled to be opening this new milk drop to make donating even easier,” said Chris Smith, RN, IBCLC, outreach coordinator and lactation consultant at the milk bank. “With this new milk drop, approved donors around Clinton County have a convenient location to drop off their donated milk. Pasteurized donor milk is liquid gold for babies who need it. In 2023 alone, we distributed over 460,000 ounces of milk in 11 states – that’s 3,593 gallons. Just one ounce can feed a premature infant for three days, so every little bit helps.”
The Wilmington site marks the 31st OhioHealth milk drop location in Ohio. The donated milk is distributed throughout North America to babies in need.
“We are so proud and very excited to be part of the opening of the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Drop at the Clinton County Health District,” said WIC Director Renee Quallen BSN, IBCLC. “Our Clinton County Health District staff know the importance of human milk in promoting the optimal health and growth of babies. Becoming a Milk Drop is a great fit with our program. We are honored to be part of the network that gets safe and screened human milk to our most vulnerable infants here in Ohio and across the country. We will utilize the Ultracold Freezer that was donated to the Health District in February of 2021 by the Clinton County Commissioners. At that time ultracold storage was required for safe storage of the Pfizer brand COVID Vaccine. Currently, that type of specialized storage is no longer needed, and we are thankful to be able to continue to use this valuable resource to improve the health of our community. This freezer will allow safe storage until the milk can be transported to Columbus for pasteurization and distribution.”
Monica Wood, director of administration at the health district, also shared her excitement, “We have a unique opportunity to provide a resource collection site that is in support of babies that are medically fragile through this partnership with the Mother’s Milk Bank.”
The milk bank, which is located in the OhioHealth Eastside Health Center in Columbus, relies on donations from healthy, lactating women who generously provide milk to help other babies. Interested donors are encouraged to email [email protected] or call (614)-566-0630 to arrange a screening phone interview.
To become a human milk donor, mothers must take part in a screening process to ensure the quality and safety of the milk. This process includes a phone screening to verify eligibility, completion of a medical and lifestyle history review, a signed medical release from the donor and physician, and consent to receive a blood test to screen for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and syphilis. The donated milk is pasteurized, frozen, and distributed by physician’s prescription.
Benefits of Breast Milk
Infants benefit greatly from human milk, especially those who are premature, ill, or have life-threatening conditions. Human milk is the ultimate source of nutrients and immune protection for infants. Babies benefit from the active growth hormones, developmental enzymes, infection fighting and immunological factors found in human milk. Research shows that human milk helps pre-term infants:
● Reach full feeds sooner and need fewer IVs
● Mature their intestines faster
● Spend fewer days in the hospital
● Reduce risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (a potentially fatal bowel infection)
● Reduce risk of sepsis (blood infection) and fewer infections
● Experience long-term IQ advantages over formula-fed infants
● Be healthier as older children and adults
More information about the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, including a video, may be found at https://www.ohiohealth.com/locations/womens-health/mothers-milk-bank/
