MOMS Orange County opens the county’s first breast milk collection site
On Aug. 18, MOMS Orange County partnered with Mothers’ Milk Bank to open the county’s first human milk collection center during National Breastfeeding Awareness Month.
“Our first milk drive with Mothers’ Milk Bank was back in 2019,” said MOMS Orange County‘s chief executive officer, Dave Lugo. “We had 14 donors attend, and we collected an estimated 1,000 ounces of precious breast milk — or gold as it if often referred to — equal to over 4,000 feedings for medically fragile babies.”
Since that first drive, it has been a goal of MOMS to open a permanent collection site for human milk donations in Orange County.
“Today is the day that we realize that dream and officially celebrate the opening of Orange County’s first and only human milk collection center,” Lugo said to a room full of parents and their babies at the group’s Santa Ana headquarters.
MOMS Orange County was founded 31 years ago to provide prenatal healthcare for low-income, at-risk women. The organization serves 2,500 families annually.
“MOMS Orange County has served the community with a couple of core programs,” said Lugo, “a home visitation program as well as health education classes. Over the last couple of years we have also introduced some maternal mental health programs, and today, we are so proud to be opening our milk bank.”
Mothers’ Milk Bank of San Jose is a charter member of the Human Milk Banking Assn. of North America, dedicated to enhancing the availability and use of breast milk for all babies. Mothers’ Milk Bank’s American Academy of Pediatrics proved approach to obtaining, pasteurizing and dispensing human milk for use in neonatal intensive care units and other settings makes the organization the gold standard in processing donated breast milk and a natural partner for MOMS Orange County.
“[Mothers’ Milk Bank] hosts all the screening processes, the distribution, everything operational,” said Lugo. “We serve as the depository site.”
Donating mothers undergo the screening through Mothers’ Milk Bank’s website that includes an initial questionnaire, a phone screening, completion of donor paperwork and blood work. Once approved, mothers can donate their milk to MOMS Orange County, which will store, freeze and ship it to Mothers’ Milk Bank, who then distributes it.
Human breast milk is the preferred feeding for medically fragile infants in NICUs because of the optimal nutrition for babies.
“For our premature babies of very low birth weight who are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit, human milk provides a decreased risk of a very serious complication called necrotizing enterocolitis,” said Dr. Michele Cheung from the O.C. Heath Care Agency, “as well as decreased risk of infections, chronic lung disorders and also developmental issues. So it is really important that we are able to provide this human milk for the babies, especially if the mother is not able to provide enough milk or any milk.”
The donated human milk may also benefit infants of foster, adoptive and surrogate mothers or mothers whose medical condition prevents breastfeeding.
Fourteen donating mothers gathered at MOMS Orange County to donate. Stephen and Dunaa Ruhl of Mission Viejo arrived with a cooler full of frozen breast milk.
“I have an oversupply. I have been pumping to feed him,” Dunaa said, motioning to her 3-month-old son, Silas, in a stroller. “I am pumping about 50 ounces a day, and he only drinks about 28 ounces a day.”
Jade Wong and her 4-month old son, Tadeo, were also at the event, donating breast milk. Although Wong said she doesn’t have much extra, she wanted to give what she could.
“It is an important cause, and I figure he has access to me so I can feed him anytime,” said Wong. “The frozen milk is for bottles, but I can always replenish.”
The opening of the milk bank coincided with a lactation workshop and MOMS Orange County’s annual celebration of breastfeeding moms.
“It is an appreciation of their accomplishments of their being able to serve their babies with these vital nutrients, via breast feeding,” said Lugo.
The breast milk donations, as Lugo said, are like gold to the mothers and babies who need it.
“We are just grateful to be able to do this and provide this service,” said Lugo.
Those interested in donating can visit mothersmilk.org/donate-milk.
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