The Depot is open! The Dispensary opens on July 9, 2021.
Milk Depot & Dispensary
Personalized Pediatrics of Maine is working in collaboration with the Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast to host a community milk depot and dispensary.
Now accepting milk! The Dispensary opens on July 9, 2021.
Why Human Milk Matters
Human milk can be lifesaving for preterm infants. It is especially protective against a life-threatening condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which affects one in ten of thesmallest preterm infants. Human breast milk is estimated to lower the risk of this condition by 79%. Donor milk has become the standard supplement to mothers’ own milk for preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). An increasing number of community hospitals with regular and special care nurseries use donor milk when babies need a supplement to their mothers’ own milk.
The importance of breastfeeding for the health of mother and baby is well-established, with all major medical and public health organizations endorsing breastfeeding. Use of donor milk supports breastfeeding in the long run. When a baby requires supplementation in the early days after birth, research shows that mothers tend to view donor milk as a temporary bridge and formula as a long-term solution. Therefore, having donor milk available at communitylocations like this dispensary can be an essential component in preserving and protecting breastfeeding for mothers and babies.
Milk Bank
A milk bank is the central site that collects milk from mothers who have more milk than their babies need; screens, pasteurizes, and tests the milk; and then dispenses it to babies whose mothers do not have enough milk for them.
Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast is a nonprofit community milk bank accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). The milk bank has been screening donors, pasteurizing milk, and dispensing to over 90 hospitals and to families throughout the Northeastern United States since 2011.
To learn more about Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, and the screening and pasteurizing process to ensure the highest level of safety, please visit: https://milkbankne.org/.
Milk Depot
A community location where screened milk donors can drop off milk for shipment to the milk bank. Mothers from the Greater Portland and Southern Maine area will now be able to drop off their milk conveniently at the community depot for shipment to the milk bank.
Mothers can become donors if they are in good health, have breast milk that is truly extra or cannot be used by their baby (bereaved and surrogate mothers are welcome to become breast milk donors), and are using medications on an “approved for use in donors” list.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A DONOR, PLEASE VISIT: https://milkbankne.org/.
If you are already a donor and would like to SCHEDULE A MILK DROP OFF, please contact: doc@mainepeds.com or call (207) 409-0901.
Milk Dispensary
An outpatient location where a family whose baby has a prescription for donor milk can fill the prescription and then take home the milk. Currently, babies at many Maine hospitals can receive donor milk while hospitalized.
Personalized Pediatrics of Maine is on the leading edge of organizations providing access to donor milk in the community outside of the hospital setting — and will become the sixth outpatient location in New England.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RECEIVING BREAST MILK, PLEASE VISIT: https://milkbankne.org/.
To SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECEIVE MILK, please contact: doc@mainepeds.com or call (207) 409-0901.