MGH to become The Milk Bank's newest Milk Depot site

On April 20th, Marion Health will become The Milk Bank’s newest Milk Depot site. Staff and the public is invited to join a virtual grand opening at 1PM EDT at https://bit.ly/3uU8lIf.

A Milk Depot is a site where approved donor mothers can drop off frozen, surplus breast milk. The milk is transported to The Milk Bank in Indianapolis to be pasteurized and distributed to NICUs and outpatient families throughout the Midwest. Ideal candidates for milk donors are non-smoking women in good general health who take limited or no medications or herbal supplements. For clarification on eligibility, contact The Milk Bank at 317-536-1670 or visit themilkbank.org/donate-milk.

The Milk Bank’s Executive Director, Freedom Kolb shared, "Marion General Hospital’s commitment to breastfeeding and efforts to improve maternal and infant health align perfectly with The Milk Bank. They make an outstanding partner! The new Milk Depot at Marion Health helps to fill a gap in accessibility in northern central Indiana.”

“Access to human milk dramatically boosts important outcomes that allow sick and fragile newborns to thrive. We at Marion Health are so excited to open a milk collection depot and offer this medicine to our youngest patients. We’re going full-circle in terms of high quality care,” states Gail Elbert, director of Maternal/Child/Great Beginnings at Marion General Hospital.

In the absence of an infant’s own mother’s milk, pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) offers many of the same benefits, such as optimal nutrition, easy digestibility, and immunologic protection against organisms and diseases. The Milk Bank aims to encourage breastfeeding mothers and provide PDHM for any infant or child with medical necessity.