Healthy Colorado: Mothers’ Milk Bank highlights national breastfeeding awareness month, encouraging new parents to donate excess milk to save babies

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Mothers' Milk Bank (MMB) is a nonprofit milk bank dedicated to the collection, processing, testing, and distribution of donor human milk. MMB aims to highlight the impactful contribution that breastfeeding parents can make by donating their excess milk.

"Mothers' Milk Bank here in Colorado has been operating for 40 years now, it is our 40th anniversary this year and we have dispensed over 10 million ounces of milk over that time," says director, Rebecca Heinrich.

Heinrich says the demand for donor human milk is on the rise and these milk donations are crucial in providing life-saving nutritional benefits to premature infants and babies facing serious medical challenges.

"We are definitely seeing more donors giving us a call and we are so grateful for that but also the need is rising," says Heinrich. "The birth rate is down a little bit but the premature rate is still the same. We are still looking at about 10% of babies that are born prematurely and truly this donor milk can be life-changing for them."

Human milk is a cornerstone of a healthy future, offering babies essential health benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes breastfeeding and donor human milk as the gold standard for infant feeding and nutrition.

"They are going to need that early nutrition that is so powerful," says Heinrich. "They are going to need those immunoglobulins that are going to help build their immune system and develop their microbiome. These are really critical times for them."

Donor human milk also provides initial supplementation for infants while their parent's milk comes in. MMB says the milk acts as a 'bridge' for these babies, helping protect them from illness and infection while keeping their bellies full.

"If you look in your freezer and realize oh no what am I going to do with all this milk please give us a call," says Heinrich. "We would love to walk you through the screening process and we try and make it as easy as possible and we make sure there is no cost by the donor at all. This is a wonderful altruistic gift that they are offering us and we want to make sure there is no cost associated. So there is a verbal screening, a written screening and there is a blood test."

Lactating people interested in donating their extra milk are encouraged to apply to become a donor on their website, or by calling 303-869-1888.