HMRNM News:

The Human Milk Repository of New Mexico (HMRNM) and San Juan Regional Medical Center are making preparations to establish a breastmilk donation depot for the Four Corners area later this spring.

Soon, moms who have an excess of breastmilk will be able to donate at the region’s only breastmilk donation depot and will help provide a valuable service to vulnerable infants in need.

Current research shows that donor breastmilk can be life saving for premature infants. If these babies are fed formula too early, they can become very sick from a potentially fatal illness called necrotizing enterocolitis. Donor breastmilk can also help promote overall breastfeeding rates for all babies by temporarily bridging the gap when, for certain medical reasons, a mother may not have enough of her own breastmilk available to feed her baby. This supplementation with donor breastmilk contributes to higher breastfeeding rates versus supplementation with formula (Tran 2020).

Since February of 2021, the HMRNM has been providing donor breastmilk to New Mexico’s infants in need. Soon the opportunity for moms in the Farmington area to donate their extra breastmilk will be possible thanks to the collaborative efforts on HMRNM and San Juan Regional Medical Center. As a Baby Friendly® designated hospital, San Juan Regional Medical Center is committed to supporting breastfeeding and optimal feeding practices. Their partnership with the HMRNM will expand their impact.  Not only will babies at San Juan Regional Medical Center benefit from donated breastmilk, but also infants in neonatal intensive care units located in the Albuquerque area.

The HMRNM is the first and only FDA/HMBANA accredited milk bank in New Mexico. Donated milk is screened, pasteurized, and distributed to hospitals’ neonatal intensive care units, labor and delivery units, and also on an outpatient basis, if after meeting hospital needs, additional donor breastmilk is available.

The need for donor breastmilk is ever present. This valuable resource can provide benefits to babies that can last a lifetime. If you or a mom you know are interested in learning more about breastmilk donation, visit HMRNM.

Tran, H. T., Nguyen, T. T., & Mathisen, R. (2020). The use of human donor milk. The BMJ, 371, m4243. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4243

Special Thanks to Kael Marshall of the Human Milk Repository of New Mexico and San Juan Regional Medical Center.