Mother's Milk Bank of South Carolina

Description

Breast milk is recommended by the National Institute of Health for healthy infant growth and protection against infections. In situations where infants are born prematurely or do not have a source of milk, donor breast milk is considered safe when the appropriate measures are taken to collect, store, and pasteurize, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. There are risks involved in sharing unpasteurized milk, such as contamination and exposures to medication, drugs, or herbs.

South Carolina's preterm birth rate is above the national average, at 11.6%. Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across the state have commonly purchased donated pasteurized breast milk from out-of-state milk banks to help nurture premature infants.

In order to address the need for breast milk and provide South Carolina mothers the option of donating locally, the South Carolina Neonatal Consortium, the South Carolina Birth Outcomes Initiative, and the Medical University of South Carolina partnered to open the state's first milk bank in 2015.

The Mother's Milk Bank of South Carolina (MMBSC) now manages 25 drop-off sites or "depots" located throughout the state, two of which are in the rural towns of Beaufort and Murrells Inlet. MMBSC safely pasteurizes donated breast milk to supply partnering NICUs in South Carolina at a lower cost.

MMBSC currently has contracts with 9 South Carolina hospitals to provide neonatal infants with a milk supply for $6.50 an ounce and no charge to the patients' families. When there is enough milk to meet hospital demand, MMBSC also sells to outpatient families with a pediatrician's prescription. MMBSC opened with $196,000 in donations from 17 organizations across the state.

Services offered

To ensure the safety of donated breast milk, MMBSC follows strict screening, processing, and dispensing guidelines established by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), a professional organization that supports nonprofit human milk banking. MMBSC walks donors through a process that includes completing a phone screening, clearance from the mother's obstetrician, and a complimentary blood draw to test for HIV, HTLV, hepatitis B and C, and syphilis.

After the mother is cleared as a safe donor, the donated milk goes through the following steps before it is safe to distribute:

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the state administer the donated milk to premature infants weighing 3.3 pounds or less.

MMBSC also offers Miracle Makers Information Sessions, which educate donors on important topics. In 2024, these sessions covered the following issues:

• A detailed explanation of the donation process, including bottling and testing
• Early infant care
• Hurricane preparedness as a nursing mom
• Nutrition from newborn to age 5
• Protecting baby's health during cold/flu season

MMBSC is working to build relationship with donors through social media. On their Facebook and Instagram pages, they highlight donors and share information on the importance of donor human milk (DHM).

Results

In the first two years since the Milk Bank's opening, partnering hospitals saved $86,911 in donor milk purchases.

Other results include:

• Over 24,320,167 ounces of breast milk have been donated to depot sites.
• Over 14,932,920 ounces of milk have been delivered to South Carolina NICUs.
• Over 1,647,120 ounces of milk have gone to outpatient families in need.
• 1,549 donors have been approved since opening in 2015; currently there are 117 active donors.
• An average of 500 ounces of pasteurized donor milk is delivered to hospitals each week.

The following explain more about South Carolina's preterm birth dilemma and how MMBSC is helping preterm infants and hospital NICUs:

• Mother's Milk Bank of South Carolina reports fewer babies sick as a result of donated breast milk, The Post and Courier, 2018
• South Carolina's first breast milk bank opens in North Charleston, The Post and Courier, 2015

Replication

Accredited by the HMBANA, MMBSC has closely followed their guidelines and recommends other milk banks do the same. A mentor from HMBANA offered guidance to help MMBSC become fully operational through the following steps:

1. Make sure the community already offers support for breast feeding, there is an adequate amount of interest from mothers to donate their breast milk, and NICUs in the state can benefit from the donations.
2. Find a building that can house a milk depot.
3. Purchase an adequate amount of freezers to keep the incoming milk frozen.
4. Use the appropriate pasteurizing standards, such as the Holder Pasteurization Method.
   
5. Use a secure, electronic and manual filing system to keep all donor records organized and private.

Contact Information

Lea Caldwell, Program Manager
Mother's Milk Bank of South Carolina
843.792.5415
caldwlea@musc.edu