SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., ― Breastfeeding mothers can give the gift of human milk through Mothers’ Milk Bank donations at Regional West’s Birth and Infant Care Center.

Since 2018, Regional West’s Birth and Infant Care Center has been a collection site for the Mothers’ Milk Bank network, a Colorado-based nonprofit program benefitting babies nationwide. Area mothers who produce excess breast milk can drop off bags of milk with the Birth and Infant Care Center. The milk is tagged and safely stored in a freezer until it is ready to distribute to babies in need.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, donating breast milk remains safe. All Mothers’ Milk Bank donors are screened for COVID-19 and asked to refrain from donating if they are experiencing COVID-19 or other respiratory virus symptoms. Donations are handled with personal protective equipment (PPE) and pasteurized using a special heat treatment recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We appreciate every ounce of milk donated from our region’s generous mothers,” said Erika Carmody, RN, MSN, director of Regional West’s Birth and Infant Care Center. “Breast milk provides excellent health benefits for both babies and mothers, and we are proud to facilitate life-saving milk donations.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfed children experience improved dental health and neurodevelopmental outcomes, in addition to decreased risk of SIDS, leukemia, and asthma. Mothers have a lesser risk of breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. Breastfeeding is also known to help protect against many illnesses, including COVID-19.

Donors can drop off milk at Regional West’s main entrance. All milk donations must be frozen and labeled with the full date that the milk was pumped, including the year, plus your last name and donor number. Please call the Birth and Infant Care Center at 308-630-1550 prior to arrival so a staff member can come and collect the donation.

Women interested in donating breast milk may complete a donor application form at https://rmchildren.org/mothers-milk-bank/donate-milk/become-a-donor/ or call 303-869-1888. A blood test is required and will be provided free of charge. To learn more about donation, visit www.milkbankcolorado.org.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and the only Level II Trauma Center in Nebraska west of Kearney. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 in-network providers and approximately 2,000 staff members, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.