Save a Life. Donate milk. Because just one ounce can save a life.
Mothers' Milk Bank is a partnership between Campbell County Health and Rocky Mountain Children’s
Health Foundation.
Mothers’ Milk Bank safely screens, collects, processes and dispenses donated human milk as
a community service, providing human milk to babies whose own mothers
cannot supply the milk to meet their baby’s needs.
Babies in hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) depend on life
saving nourishment to thrive when their own mom’s milk is not available.
Donor milk is used by preemies who cannot tolerate formula, have a weekend
immune system, or have special dietary needs. Donor milk reduces digestive
tract infections by 79% and many other infections as well. One ounce of
your milk can feed a micro preemie for an entire day – literally
saving a life.
“Mother’s milk is liquid gold for babies who are fighting for
their lives. It can mean the difference between life and death.”
~ Dr. Jeffrey Hanson, Medical Director of the NICU at Rocky Mountain Hospital
for Children
Can I donate milk?
Taking care of your baby is your first priority. Once you’ve established
your milk supply and your own baby’s needs, becoming a donor might
be an option for you. Use these simple guidelines to determine whether
you can donate milk. You are likely to qualify as a donor if:
You are in generally good health
You are a non-smoker
You are taking no medications on a regular basis
What is the process for donating milk?
Call Campbell County Health's Maternal Child department at
307-688-2200 or the Milk Bank at
877-458-5503.
Lactation consultants will talk with you about your milk supply and then
a do a short phone pre-screening.
You will then be sent a comprehensive screening from which asks more in-depth
questions about your medical history.
Once your screening is complete, a lactation consultant will call you to
set up a blood test, at no cost to you.
Once you sign the donor consent form and your doctor signs the medical
release form, you are ready to donate milk.
We will provide you with containers to put your milk in and make arrangements
to pick up your milk.
What happens to your milk after you become a donor?
Milk is received and stored in large freezers maintained at -20◦ C or colder.
Milk is pooled together in large flasks, then poured into sanitized glass bottles
The bottles are placed in a pasteurizer, brought to 62.5◦ C, and pasteurized
for 30 minutes.
The bottles are cooled immediately, labeled and placed in freezers.
A small sample of the milk is analyzed to assess fats, proteins and lactose.
A sample from each batch is sent to the lab to be tested for any bacterial growth.
Once approved, the milk is sent coast to coast to babies in hospitals and homes.
