OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank to Open Milk DropSite at The Family Center at Hancock County WIC

The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank is celebrating the grand opening of  The Family Center Milk Drop at Hancock County WIC on Tuesday, January 25, at 10 a.m. The new milk drop site, located at 1800 N. Blanchard St. in Findlay, will house a freezer to store donated human milk, which will then be transferred to the milk bank in Columbus 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 29 milk banks in North America – 26 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 in and around Findlay can conveniently donate their milk. Pasteurized donor milk is liquid gold for babies who need it.  In 2021 alone we distributed nearly 421,107 ounces of milk all over the country – that’s 3,289 gallons! Just one ounce can feed a premature infant for three days, so every little bit helps.”

The Findlay site marks the 14^th OhioHealth milk drop location in Ohio. The donated milk is distributed throughout North America to babies in need.

“We are very excited to be opening a milk drop site at the Hancock County WIC office,” said Breanna Krummrey, Registered Dietitian and lactation consultant. “This has been a goal for several years and we are finally able to make it happen. This will guarantee local mothers have the opportunity and a convenient place to donate their breastmilk to share with infants and children that really need it!”

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 milkbank@ohiohealth.com 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 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 by clicking here.

About OhioHealth

OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth has been recognized as one of the top five large health systems in America by Truven Health Analytics, an honor it has received six times. It is also recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 14 times since 2007.

Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 30,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 12 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area.

OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Blenness Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Shelby Hospital, OhioHealth Grove City Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Berger Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com

About Hancock Co. WIC

WIC is a federal nutrition program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, administered by Ohio Department of Health, and operated locally as a program of the HHWP-Community Action Commission. WIC helps improve nutrition and dietary intake, pregnancy outcomes, reduces incidence of low birth weight and infant mortality, provides infants and children with a healthy start in life, and provides mothers with breastfeeding assistance. These outcomes are achieved by providing nutrition education, offering breastfeeding education and support, giving nutritious foods, referring to prenatal healthcare, pediatric healthcare, and to maternal/child health and human service programs.