COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Maury Regional Medical Center (MRMC) recently became a milk bank depot for donated breast milk to support premature infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). MRMC is partnering with the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee to serve as a donation site for mothers’ milk to be processed by the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Austin, Texas.
Human milk contains antibodies that help infants fight disease and infection while protecting against allergies.
“Donor milk helps to decrease the number of life-threatening infections in newborns and provides nourishment for premature infants in NICUs when their mothers are unable to produce milk as needed,” said MRMC Women’s and Children’s Services Administrative Director Beth Himes.
Mothers can donate milk if they are currently lactating and have surplus milk and if they are:
- In good general health
- Willing to undergo a blood test at no charge
- Not using medication or herbal supplements (with a few exceptions)
- Nursing an infant who is less than one year of age (Bereaved or surrogate mothers are also eligible to donate.)
- Able to arrange for transportation of milk to a drop-off location.
“We recognize that depots are critical to making it convenient for mothers to donate their milk anywhere in Tennessee and not have to ship it themselves to the processing facility,” said Dr. Susan Campbell, one of the co-founders of the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Tennessee.
Mothers who would like to donate breast milk should visit MilkBank.org and complete these simple registration steps:
- Complete an online form
- Complete a 10-15 minute phone screening
- Complete and return an informational packet
- Have a blood test done at no cost
Following review of paperwork and lab results, mothers will be notified of their approval status. Once approved, all supplies needed to package milk donations will be provided. A donation appointment must be scheduled in advance by calling the medical center’s Lactation Services Department at 931.490.7074.
For more information about donating breast milk, call the MRMC Lactation Services Department at 931.490.7074 or visit MilkBankTN.org.