How Donor Milk In Missoula Supports Premature Infants

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On Wednesday, Missoula Community Medical Center celebrated the opening of its new pasteurized donor human milk program.

I spoke with Joann Ransom, Clinical Outreach Director for Northwest Mothers Milk Bank, who explained the importance of today’s opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at Community Medical Center.

Community Medical Center Opens New Milk Drop Collection Site

“Today, we are celebrating the opening of a new Milk Drop Collection site for mothers who choose to donate their milk,” began Ransom. “Community Medical Center will now be able to accept those donations from donors who have completed the screening process, and that milk will be sent to the milk bank in Portland, Oregon, where it will be pasteurized and tested before it is sent out to the hospital and back right here to community Medical Center.”

Michelle Christopher is a Lactation Nurse at Community Medical Center, who explained where the donor milk will be used.

Get our free mobile app

The Donated Milk will be Used for Premature and Early Babies

“Most of the donor milk is mainly for our premature and early babies, but sometimes we need a bridge before that mature milk comes in, and so donor milk is a great bridge,” said Christopher. “Mother's milk is always number one, but donor milk is second, and so it's a huge resource that is helping these little babies thrive and do better in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and then just help with their health overall.”

Dr. Elizabeth Beil, MD Physician Pediatrician at Community Medical Center, explained the importance of the new Pasteurized Donor Milk Program.

“Lots of families want to do breastfeeding, and there are either times in their life or the beginning of breastfeeding where it can be challenging to start,” began Dr. Beil. “And so I think knowing that they have the support of healthy breast milk that is appropriately screened and pasteurized, that can be safe for their babies, is great.”

Dr. Beil Explained the Importance of Pasteurized Breast Milk

Dr. Beil explained the new website (donatemilk.org) that parents of newborns can use to access the pasteurized donor breast milk.

“They have a really easy-to-use website on how to donate milk, or how, if you're looking for milk, how to get that,” she said. “They set it up. It's pretty smooth. You get your labs drawn to make sure you're not carrying any other infectious diseases, right? Because we want to be extra careful to make sure our babies are safe. Then, after you go through that screening process, you become a donor, and if you have surplus milk, you can send it in. That milk is generally pasteurized and processed in a safe way and then sent back so that it can be given to our Montana families.”

Community Medical Center Officials and supporters all gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the event.