Westchester County children's hospital in desperate need of breast milk donors
VALHALLA, New York (WABC) -- A hospital in Westchester County needs some help feeding some of its youngest and most vulnerable patients.
The donor milk bank at Maria Fareri's Children's Hospital is dealing with a shortage, its first in six years.
It's referred to as liquid gold, donated breast milk that is given to premature and full-term babies at the hospital whose mothers can't breastfeed or to supplement supply.
Since 2019, Maria Fareri has maintained its own milk bank, but on Friday, the shelves are nearly bare, supply is down 90%. Donations typically come from new moms with an over supply of milk.
"In the last year I haven't had a mega donor. In the past we've had huge amounts, and it has been great, it has sustained us. So right now we just haven't had that, so that's why we're at a real critical shortage," said lactation consultant Tina Roeder.
The hospital collects, pasteurizes, and tests donated milk which can be stored up to a year.
It provides short and long-term benefits to preemies like Andrei who was born at 29 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 2 ounces.
"I didn't know that they had donor milk, I didn't know it was an option. It honestly eased my anxiety," said mother Kamayah Gadsden.
The milk bank is one of the few to offer kosher milk, but more importantly, it is the only one in North America to offer pre-term milk which is especially beneficial for babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit NICU.
"The nutritional requirements of pre-term babies and term babies are very different. The nutrients that they require, the calories that they require in order for them to continue to grow and help the fight off any potential complications," said neonatologist Dr. Jennifer Kaswick said.
For the first time in years, Maria Fareri is augmenting its supply by purchasing from the New York Milk Bank, but it's putting the word out to breastfeeding moms that donors are needed.
"Having a parent that is selfless and able to give that help, it makes the biggest of differences," Gadsdensaid.
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