OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank to Open New Milk Drop at Marion General Hospital
The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank is celebrating the grand opening of a new milk drop location at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital on September 25th, 2024, at 10:30 am.
The new milk drop site, located at 1000 McKinley Park Drive in Marion, 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 Marion and Delaware Counties 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 Marion site marks the 32nd OhioHealth milk drop location in Ohio. The donated milk is distributed throughout North America to babies in need.
“I am proud to be part of the opening of the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Drop at Ohio Health Marion General Hospital,” said Nicole Conley MSN, RN Marion General Hospital Women’s Health Manager. “Our Lactation Consultant, Nicole Fitzpatrick BSN, RN, IBCLC, was an approved milk donor for the Mother’s Milk Bank several years ago, and she has always felt that becoming a Milk Drop was an important service that our hospital should be offering. Our Women’s Health staff know the importance of human milk in promoting the optimal health and growth of babies and becoming a Milk Drop is a great fit. We are honored to be part of the network that not only utilizes donor human milk for our tiny patients, but to also offer a safe and convenient option for Marion County and surrounding counties families to donate milk.”
The milk bank, which is 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'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, and 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 other 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 here.
