Virginia’s first milk depot is now accepting donations from pre-screened breastfeeding parents, offering an additional layer of convenience to provide human milk to babies who need it.
After months of planning, the ribbon was cut on the first milk depot in the state, making it possible for milk donors in the Richmond area to drop off their donations, where our team members will pack and ship the lifesaving liquid to The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters. While donors are still welcome to ship their own donations directly to CHKD, the establishment of the depot at CHoR offers an alternative to busy parents.
Milk is medicine
With one out of every 10 babies born prematurely, human milk can be an essential therapy for preemies and medically fragile infants. Breast milk not only contains nutrients that are crucial to infant development, but it also provides antibodies to fight disease, protects against allergies and can reduce the risk of life-threatening intestinal infections. In fact, premature babies are 10 times more likely to develop a devastating intestinal infection if they are fed formula instead of breast milk..jpg)
“Human milk, what I often call ‘species-specific nutrition,’ is one of nature’s most powerful tools for growth and development. It is a naturally available, organic protector against both acute and chronic illness, and, in the most fragile of circumstances, a life-saving treatment for premature and critically ill infants. Simply put, human milk is medicine, for babies, for families, and for communities,” said Ashlynn Baker, director of The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD.
Not everyone who gives birth is able to breastfeed, so finding donors is crucial. Every donation is far-reaching with just one ounce of donor human milk feeding up to four premature infants.
“This program will bridge the gap for human milk donation in Richmond and the surrounding areas,” explained Karen Webb, our associate chief nursing officer. “The milk depot we are launching today will allow families to donate their human milk at a convenient location close to home. That milk will then be distributed to support newborns and mothers up and down the East Coast.”
The donation process
It takes three simple steps to become a donor. It starts with a phone call to schedule a short phone interview, then an online questionnaire is completed, followed by bloodwork at a local lab at no cost to the donor.
Donors need to be healthy and have a milk supply that exceeds their own baby’s needs, and bereaved donors and surrogates are also welcome to donate.
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After pre-screening, donors can call and schedule drop-offs in our Children’s Pavilion breezeway entrance without having to leave their car. From there, we handle the shipping to The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD where these lifesaving donations are pasteurized and tested for safety before they’re shipped to other hospitals. By simplifying the donation process for parents, more babies will get the human milk they need.
One of the mothers and milk donors in attendance just started her donation journey and is so grateful for the added convenience of the depot. Before today, she had shipped her first donation of 209 ounces to The King’s Daughters Milk Bank at CHKD. Today, her contribution of more than 200 ounces was one of the first donations ever at the depot.
“The King’s Daughters Milk Bank made it really easy to get tested and go through the process for our first donation,” shared Jillian Perez, mom of 6-month-old baby Zoey. “To watch her grow from 5 pounds to 14 pounds and see what breast milk can do for her, it’s been so rewarding. Not only do I get to feed my own baby, but now I have the opportunity to help others as well.”