August is World Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Around the world, people will be celebrating the amazing benefits of breastfeeding with efforts that will protect, promote, and support breastfeeding by empowering parents.
A mother’s milk is her baby’s best first food, providing essential nutrients and protections that can last a lifetime. Science has proven that breast milk can help protect against ear infections, respiratory ailments, allergies, diabetes and certain cancers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of a baby’s life to maximize these benefits. Human milk is magic – did you know the makeup of the milk changes as the baby grows and development needs change? There are also great health and cost benefits for nursing moms in addition to offering a special physical closeness with the growing baby.
Breastfeeding is natural, however, it does not always come naturally. Not all mothers are able to breastfeed their babies for a variety of reasons. Sadly, 1 in 10 babies in the U.S. are born prematurely and often times, a woman’s milk hasn’t come in yet. These babies are fragile and need human milk to survive. One ounce of human milk can help a micro-preemie survive. Other women find breastfeeding is impossible because of illness or their baby was adopted while others simply are not able to produce as much milk as their baby needs. That is when Mothers’ Milk Bank comes in!
Mothers’ Milk Bank, MMB, is a nonprofit organization based in Arvada. The milk bank collects extra milk from nursing mothers who have more milk than their own babies need. These women go through an easy screening process to get approved and, once completed, can deliver or ship-for-free their frozen milk to be safely transported to MMB, located in Arvada, CO. At MMB, the milk is safely pasteurized, analyzed, and then distributed to hospitals across Colorado and the nation to help sick babies thrive. Milk is also available for families with a pediatrician’s prescription.
MMB is committed to providing donor human milk for every baby who needs it and can not do it without the heartfelt generosity of milk donors, moms help other moms. It takes a few simple steps to become a donor. If you are interested in learning more about donating your excess breast milk to help save babies, visit https://rmchildren.org/mothers-milk-bank/donate-milk/ or call 303-869-1888. Your precious milk donation will help countless babies across Colorado and the country.
Author: Mile High Mamas
