Mothers’ Milk Bank At Austin Needs Your Help
The mothers of preterm and sick infants are often those least likely to be able to provide milk for their babies, and it’s the reason why Mothers’ Milk Bank At Austin was created. MMBA saves babies’ lives by providing prescribed, pasteurized donor human milk. Executive Director, Kim Updegrove, spoke with Studio 512 about MMBA and what the organization needs.
“MMBA was founded by two Austin neonatologists with the mission of saving babies’ lives. They declared that no human baby should die for lack of human milk. Breast milk is best for all babies; it is critical to survival for preterm and medically fragile infants. Human milk drastically reduces the leading cause of death for the infants — necrotizing enterocolitis — and improves growth and development. Donor human milk is provided to those babies whose mothers are unable to produce any or enough of their own breast milk.”
Why is human milk lifesaving for some babies?
“Each mammal produces milk that is made to meet the needs of its offspring. Humans are no different. Babies with feeding and growth challenges will thrive on human milk because it is easily digested and perfectly absorbed by them. It is the nutrition they need that is readily digested, and the immune components and growth enzymes that optimize growth and development.”
Is there enough donor human milk for all of the vulnerable babies?
“There has never been enough for all of the fragile infants, but there could be. If every healthy lactating mom would agree to pump even once per day, set that milk aside for donation to a milk bank, get screened and approved as a milk donor and begin to donate, we’d have enough for all in need.”
Is sharing milk in the community the same as donating to a milk bank?
“Sharing or donating milk is a compassionate thing to do, but only by donating it to a milk bank will you be ensuring that your milk is going to the most fragile babies. The milk will be processed by the milk bank to make it perfect for the little ones – pooled with milk from other donors to make the perfect energy and protein content, and then gently heat-processed to destroy any bacteria and viruses. This milk is then lifesaving to babies whose medical conditions require human milk only, but whose own biological mothers are unable to produce milk of their own.
“MMBA has dispensed ten million ounces of donor human milk since opening its doors in 1999. Dispensed to hospital neonatal intensive care units and to outpatients, this pasteurized breast milk had been donated by more than 14,000 mothers; over 75,000 preterm and medically fragile babies received its lifesaving nourishment. With 60,000 preterm infants born in the U.S. each year, and an additional 12,000 born with serious heart and gut complications, more donor milk is needed.
“Every ounce of milk dispensed represents a compassionate gift from a donor, and a lifesaving gift to a recipient. Over the past 24 years, with the support of our community, we have expanded our impact to serve babies in need across Texas and 22 other states. We couldn’t save lives without the dedication of the mothers who donate their milk, the financial supporters who make sure we have the resources to never turn away a baby in need, and the dedicated staff and volunteers who make our work possible. Mothers who are able to produce extra milk are encouraged to call today to be screened.”
Mothers’ Milk Bank At Austin needs your help. To show your support by donating milk, money or time, go to MilkBank.org.
This segment is paid for by Mothers’ Milk Bank At Austin and is intended as an advertisement. Opinions expressed by the guest(s) on this program are solely those of the guest(s) and are not endorsed by this television station.
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