LincolnHealth is already a donor breast milk site for Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast, but it is now dispensing milk to infants born at LincolnHealth as well.

“We now are buying milk from the Milk Bank to have on hand for babies needing supplementation,” said Christina Burns, BSN, RNC-OB, Manager at LincolnHealth Miles Maternity. “We have only had formula for supplementation for babies in the past and that is not always best for babies whose moms are planning to exclusively breast feed.”

Mothers who produce more milk than their baby needs can donate their frozen excess milk to Mothers’ Milk Bank Northeast through LincolnHealth Miles Maternity. Donors are screened and their milk is pasteurized, tested and refrozen.

The milk can then be used for pre-term, near-term and full-term babies as a supplement until a mother’s own milk supply increases, and for issues such as hypoglycemia, jaundice, excessive weight loss and feeding problems.

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.

LincolnHealth Miles Maternity has long been a supporter of breastfeeding. In 1987, it was the first hospital in Maine and the fifth in the nation to be designated baby-friendly by the World Health Organization. Baby-friendly hospitals are recognized for excellence in supporting breastfeeding and other research-based practices that promote newborn health.