Ohio’s second breast milk dispensary has opened in Dayton. This will give mothers a place to pick up breast milk or donate excess milk to babies in need.
The new dispensary is a partnership between OhioHealth Mothers’ Milk Bank, one of the 30 milk banksin the United States, and the First Steps Breastfeeding Support Center at Kettering Health Washington Township.
“Sometimes there are little bumps in the road. This donor milk can help with that bridging.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendsexclusive breast milk until six months, followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary foods until babies are two years old or as long as the mother and baby desire. However, there are scenarios wherein a mother and baby need donor milk.
“If the mother had a cesarean section, or a long epidural labor, she might need that extra milk as she gets her volume up,” said Katy Boyd, a lactation consultant with Kettering Health. “Also, if the baby is a little bit jaundiced or the weight loss is a little bit excessive, they might need a bit more milk.”
There are 29 milk drop sites across Ohio and interested donors go through a three step
