Taking the Initiative

Concord Hospital in New Hampshire is putting it's money where its newborns mouths are!  The hospital is now offering human donor milk for babies whose mothers can't or aren't producing milk themselves.  And it's free!

The hospital orders the milk from the Milk Bank of New England which is based in Boston.  There are several mlk banks around the country and they get their milk from moms who have extra supplies of breastmilk.

Here's the critical thing; if you're going to buy or get human breast milk for your baby make sure it comes from one of the national milk banks.  These banks screen the donor mother's health.  The milk is test and then pasteurized.  If it passes all the screening, only then does it go into the bank.

I can't stress the safety factor enough.  I've heard of, and know of, new moms who get milk from friends.  They think that because they know the person, and the person is a good human being with health living habits, that it's ok.  Don't risk it. 

In the meantime, kudos to the hospital in New Hampshire for taking the initiative.