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Indianapolis milk bank issues urgent call for donations

The Regional Milk Bank office serves about 70 neonatal intensive care units in in Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri.

INDIANAPOLIS — Newborns across Indiana are in need of your help. 

A breast milk shortage is having a huge impact on hospital neonatal intensive care units.

Milk banks around the country are seeing an increase in demand and a decrease in supply. They're asking mothers to help reverse the trend before it's too late.

Supplies of human milk, which milk banks call "liquid gold," are drying up nationwide. As donations run low in some places, it's babies who need it most who could suffer.

"Access to human milk for these infants is a standard of care. It can increase survival rates. It can mitigate disease and infection. It can reduce hospital stays," said Milk Bank executive director Freedom Kolb.

The Milk Bank's regional office in Indianapolis services about 70 NICUs in Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri. Although donations increased during the pandemic, it hasn't been enough to keep up with the demand. They aren't at a crisis level yet, but that will change if more donations don't come in. 

"If the trend holds, we would have to begin distributing milk to the most medically-fragile. That means some infants would not have milk for their treatment plans," said Kolb.

Jayme Melton is one of the mothers who has stepped up. She knows firsthand how important breast milk can be to infants. She tries to donate her extra milk once a week.  

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"You know, I've cried over spilled milk, literally, and now I've cried over donor milk. I know I'm helping a baby, and those parents get that sense of relief to get that milk as well. It is really a full circle," said Melton.

The Milk Bank needs about 84 donors a month to support current need, and it takes care of the costs. All donors need to do is sign up and show up.

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"Any amount you can give is going to make such a difference," Melton said.

Learn more, including how to become a breast milk donor, here

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