Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin Opens New Milk Depot in Clear Lake Regional Medical Center
AUSTIN, TEXAS – The demand for human donor milk in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs or “nick-yous”) continues to rise, and a new milk bank depot in Clear Lake Regional Medical Center will give lactating mothers a new, convenient drop off location for their donations of the much-needed breastmilk. The milk depot will be serviced by the Mothers’Milk Bank at Austin. Women who are currently breastfeeding infants under one year old are eligible to be screened at no charge to become human milk (aka breastmilk) donors.
One of the largest suppliers of donor human milk to hospitals across Texas and in 14 states, the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin fills prescriptions written by physicians for the most fragile babies who need the life-giving and sustaining nutrition of donor human milk to thrive.
Although any woman can donate her breastmilk regardless of where she lives, the new milk depot located inside the lactation office at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center will make it easier for all donors throughout the Bay Area Houston region to donate this scarce resource that has life-saving impact.
“Our reputation for providing safe, nutritionally-analyzed, and labeled donor human milk to hospitals and outpatients has led to tremendous growth in demand -- a challenge and also a success,” said Kim Updegrove, Executive Director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin. “By partnering with Clear Lake Regional Medical Center we will raise our awareness with a vital audience – breastfeeding women who are uniquely qualified to help save the lives of premature and critically ill babies.”
Nonprofit milk banks like MMBA ensure donor human milk is safe and available to the infants who need it most. The pasteurized breast milk dispensed is specifically processed to meet the specific needs of fragile and sick babies, serving babies with the greatest medical needs, regardless of family’s ability to pay.
The Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin needs 575 donors to meet the expected 2012 demand. As of April 2012, 156 women are approved and active donors to the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin, including five who are using the Clear Lake Regional Medical Center milk depot. Breastfeeding and lactating women in Clear Lake and greater Houston who are interested in donating their breastmilk for the benefit of premature, ill and medically fragile infants may call toll-free 1-877-813-6455 to begin the screening process.
Clear Lake Regional Medical Center is located at 500 Medical Center Blvd., Clear Lake, TX 77598. The Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Milk Depot accepts breastmilk donations Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend drop-offs are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donors can pull into circle drive and call the Newborn Nursery at 281-338-3398. Someone will come to your vehicle with a cart to get your donor milk. Alternatively, donors can park and go to the 4th floor, room 434 if they would like to see the freezer.
About the Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin: The Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accept, pasteurize and dispense donor human milk by physician prescription, primarily to premature and ill infants. Women who are lactating can donate milk to The Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin regardless of where they live. In 2011, the milk bank received donations from women in 26 states and 168 cities including 98 cities in Texas. Prospective donors across the U.S. may call toll-free 1-877-813-6455. Learn more at www.milkbank.com.
About Clear Lake Regional Medical Center: Clear Lake Regional Medical Center is a750-bed tertiary regional referral medical center offering inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and specialty services. The campus includes The Heart & Vascular Hospital, Breast Diagnostic Center, Wound Care Center, a level III Neonatal ICU, the area’s only Pediatric Emergency Department and Pediatric ICU, and a comprehensive range of services for patients of all ages. With a medical staff of more than 900, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center employs more than 2,000 medical professionals and is celebrating its 40thanniversary in 2012. For more information, call (281)332-2511 or visit online at www.clearlakermc.com.