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Monday Medical: Breast milk donation program comes to Yampa Valley

Susan Cunningham/For Steamboat Today

Interested in milk donation? Contact Pauline Kopsa at the Family Birth Place at Yampa Valley Medical Center at 970-871-2412 for more information and learn more about donor eligibility from Mothers’ Milk Bank at milkbankcolorado.org.

Breast milk is considered the best source of nutrition for babies, especially those born prematurely or with complications, but not all mothers are able to breast feed.

That’s where milk banks come in. And now that Yampa Valley Medical Center has been designated as a Mothers’ Milk Bank Donation and Outreach Center, it’s easier than ever for local moms to donate excess breast milk to babies who need it most.

Interested in milk donation? Contact Pauline Kopsa at the Family Birth Place at Yampa Valley Medical Center at 970-871-2412 for more information and learn more about donor eligibility from Mothers’ Milk Bank at milkbankcolorado.org.



Breast milk has a variety of health benefits: It’s gentle on a baby’s digestive system, its nutrients are easy to absorb and it contains natural antibodies and fats.

“It contains the perfect components for the development of the baby’s brain and nervous system,” said registered nurse Pauline Kopsa, certified lactation consultant and coordinator for the donation center at YVMC’s Family Birth Place.



Even one feeding with breast milk can make a difference.

“If the baby can receive breast milk for its first feeding, it coats the baby’s intestinal tract to help prevent long-term illnesses,” Kopsa said.

Since August 2014, YVMC has supplied donor breast milk to nearly 180 newborns. Babies can receive supplemental breast milk for issues such as excessive weight loss, high levels of jaundice, low blood sugar or signs of dehydration.

The donor breast milk is collected and processed by Mothers’ Milk Bank, based in Denver. A program of Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, the organization is the largest nonprofit milk bank in North America and has more than 30 years of experience.

The first step in becoming a donor is contacting Mothers’ Milk Bank for initial screenings. Next, potential donors will work with Kopsa at Yampa Valley Medical Center to get blood tests and register as a donor.

Bringing the program close to home makes donations easier and helps create awareness for the need for donated breast milk. Some moms may not be aware they can donate excess breast milk.

Mothers’ Milk Bank provides donors with milk storage bags and sanitizing steam bags, and there is no cost for the donor screening. Women can donate until their baby is 18 months old and can even donate previously collected milk if it’s less than 10 months old and has been stored only in the freezer.

Breast milk from approved donors will be stored at YVMC, then transported to Mothers’ Milk Bank’s Denver facility, where it will be gently pasteurized to kill unwanted viruses and bacteria while maintaining the milk’s beneficial nutrients and immune properties. About 90 percent of the donated milk is used by premature or ill babies at neonatal intensive-care units in hospitals around the country.

“Parents are very appreciative that we have donated human milk available, especially moms that want to provide breast milk for their babies and don’t wish to use formula,” Kopsa said. “So many infants have been able to benefit from receiving donor milk here in the valley, and we’re pleased to be able to offer this new service to donors.”

Susan Cunningham writes for Yampa Valley Medical Center. She can be reached at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.


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