Mother’s Milk Depot accepting breast milk donations at St. Luke’s

St. Luke's Hospital became a Mother's Milk Depot on October 1. in conjunction with the University of Iowa Children's Hospital's Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa in Iowa City.

When newborns are not able to get milk from their own mothers, milk banks can provide a healthy alternative.

Established in 2002, the program aims to collect, store and distribute human milk to those who need it. The purpose of the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa is to provide donor human milk to premature and full-term infants in Iowa.

The milk is used for hospitalized premature infants; infants born with immunological defects; when milk supply is insufficient; adopted infants and mother illness requiring brief cessation of breast feeding.

“A mother's own milk is always the best source of nourishment for her baby, yet there are situations where it is not readily available,” said Carol Reeder, St. Luke's lactation consultant. “There are many mothers in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities who gift their extra milk so that other babies have the opportunity to benefit from the special antiviral immune properties that only human milk provides.”

All donated milk collected by Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa is pasteurized. After pasteurization it is tested for bacteria. According to Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa, most immunologic and nutritional components of human milk remain intact after pasteurization. Milk is then frozen and stored until prescribed by a doctor for an infant.

The donor depot at St. Luke's is located in the Helen G. Nassif Center for Women's & Children's Health along First Ave. NE at 11th street.

Nursing mothers who wish to donate are thoroughly screened. Milk donations are accepted Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information call, (319) 369-8944.