COLUMBUS, Ohio – The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank celebrates the grand opening of
a new milk drop location at Lake-Geauga WIC in Painesville. The new milk drop site, opened on January 22, 2024, is located at 89 Chester St. in Painesville, will house a freezer to store donated human milk, which will then be transferred to the milk bank in Columbus at no cost to the donor.
The OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, under the guidelines of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), provides pasteurized human milk to those infants whose mothers are unable to provide milk to nourish their babies. It is one of just 33 milk banks in North America – 30 in the United States and three in Canada.
“We are thrilled to be opening this new milk drop to make donating even easier,” said Chris Smith, RN, IBCLC, outreach coordinator and lactation consultant at the milk bank. “With this new milk drop, approved donors in and around this corner of Ohio can conveniently donate their milk. Pasteurized donor milk is liquid gold for babies who need it. In 2023 alone we distributed over 460,000 ounces of milk in 11 states – that’s 3,593 gallons! Just one ounce can feed a premature infant for three days, so every little bit helps.”
The Painesville site marks the 30th OhioHealth milk drop location in Ohio. The donated milk is distributed throughout North America to babies in need.
“We are thrilled to be opening the Lake Geauga WIC Mothers Milk Bank Drop Site next week in our Painesville clinic location,” said Liz Homans, Lead Breastfeeding Peer and IBCLC for the Lake Geauga WIC Program. “This new Milk Bank Drop Site will ensure that nursing mothers in our area have a convenient place to drop off their precious gift of donated breastmilk to share with infants and children who are the most in need.”
The milk bank, which is located in the OhioHealth Eastside Health Center in Columbus, relies on donations from healthy, lactating women who generously provide milk to help other babies. Interested donors are encouraged to email milkbank@ohiohealth.com or call (614) 566.0630 to arrange a screening phone interview. To become a human milk donor, mothers must take part in a screening process to ensure the quality and safety of the milk. This process includes a phone screening to verify eligibility, completion of a medical and lifestyle history review, a signed medical release from the donor and physician and consent to receive a blood test to screen for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and syphilis. The donated milk is pasteurized, frozen and distributed by physician prescription.
Benefits of Breast Milk
Infants benefit greatly from human milk, especially those who are premature, ill, or have life-threatening conditions. Human milk is the ultimate source of nutrients and immune protection for infants. Babies benefit from the active growth hormones, developmental enzymes, infection fighting and immunological factors found in human milk.
Research shows that human milk helps pre-term infants:
- Reach full feeds sooner and need fewer IVs
- Mature their intestines faster
- Spend fewer days in the hospital
- Reduce risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (a potentially fatal bowel infection)
- Reduce risk of sepsis (blood infection) and fewer infections
- Experience long-term IQ advantages over formula-fed infants
- Be healthier as older children and adults
More information about the OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, including a video, may be found athttps://www.ohiohealth.com/locations/womens-health/mothers-milk-bank/
About OhioHealth
Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare outreach of the United Methodist Church.
Serving its communities since 1891, it is a family of 35,000 associates, physicians and volunteers, and a network of 12 hospitals, 200+ ambulatory sites, hospice, home-health, medical equipment and other health services spanning a 47-county area. It has been recognized by FORTUNE as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” 15 times since 2007.
OhioHealth hospitals include OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, OhioHealth Doctors Hospital, OhioHealth Grady Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Dublin Methodist Hospital, OhioHealth Hardin Memorial Hospital, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital, OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OhioHealth Shelby Hospital, OhioHealth Grove City Methodist Hospital and OhioHealth Berger Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.ohiohealth.com.
