Aspirus Breast Milk Program Helps Feed Babies
8/10/2023
Chris Bletsoe, Aspirus Care Coordination Navigator
It’s
National Breastfeeding Month and Aspirus Health is using this opportunity to
educate the community about the Aspirus Breast Milk Program that is helping
families struggling to feed their babies.
The
Aspirus Breast Milk donation program at the Aspirus Wausau Hospital (AWH) and
Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital (ASP) depots have collected a total of over
12,000 pounds of donated milk in the program’s ten years. That’s nearly 1,400
gallons of milk.
AWH
and ASP serve as depot centers for The Mother’s Milk Bank of the Western Great
Lakes, a certified breast milk bank located near Chicago. For convenience to
donating mothers throughout the state of Wisconsin, there are several drop-off
sites located across the Aspirus Health system where mothers can donate
their breast milk.
“Women
who are breastfeeding may have an overabundance of milk and for a variety of
reasons might not use all of their milk,” said Chris Bletsoe, RN, Aspirus Care
Coordination Navigator. “Under typical circumstances, programs such as ours are
a way to capture excess breast milk for sick and premature babies who could
benefit from the immunological properties of breast milk.
Mothers
who are interested in becoming donors are screened for eligibility using a
variety of health history questions and lifestyles questions. Donors are given
lab tests to screen for any potential infections. The mother can begin donating
milk once she clears the screening process.
Mothers who are
interested in becoming breast milk donors can call Aspirus Women’s Health at
715-847-0454, toll-free at 888-236-2483, or by emailing milkdonation@aspirus.org.
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