The Parent's Guide to Infant Feeding

BREASTMILK

PUMPED MILK

DONOR MILK

EVERY DROP CONTAINS A MIRACLE.

THE POWER OF HUMAN MILK:

A Parent’s Guide

Breastmilk

Donor Milk

Milk Bank Safety

Milk Bank Programs

Our Top Priority

More Ways We Nourish & Nurture

Extra Breastmilk?

Milk Donors

Every drop contains a miracle

Become a Donor:

Helping Babies Thrive

Heroes Helping Other Families

Breastmilk: Every Drop Contains a Miracle Provides complete nutritional support Supports immune system and brain development Builds a balanced gut biome with good bacteria Contains human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), special prebiotics unique to human milk Naturally adapts to infant needs over time Protects premature and fragile infants from developing necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal disease

According to the CDC...

Only 1 in 4 infants is breastfed for the recommended first six months of life.

Breastfeeding mothers have reduced risks of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, ovarian and breast cancers.

“Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for babies and mothers. It is the clinical gold standard for infant feeding and nutrition, with breast milk uniquely tailored to meet the health needs of a growing baby.”

-Dr. Ruth Petersen, Director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Breastfed infants have reduced risks of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, and NEC for preterm infants.

When mom’s own milk is not available...

Donor Milk: Helping Babies Thrive What is donor milk?

Donor milk is donated breastmilk that is screened, pasteurized and tested before being sent to hospitals and families when a mother’s own breastmilk is not available.

Why is donor milk used in hospitals?

If a mother experiences delayed lactation or can’t provide her own breastmilk, which is common in the NICU, pasteurized donor milk is recommended.

Who receives donor milk?

Premature and fragile infants in hospital NICUs are prioritized to receive the majority of donor milk because of its immunological and lifesaving benefits.

Outpatient babies with a medical need receive donor milk by prescription.

Healthy newborns receive donor milk based on availability.

For information on donor milk programs...see back page.

Bottles are chilled

“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends pasteurized donor human milk when a mother’s milk is not available or is contraindicated.”

- AAP 2022 Policy Statement

Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas We are a nonprofit milk bank serving North Texas NICUs and families from our facility in Fort Worth.

Our mission is to improve the health and survival of infants through breastfeeding advocacy and the safe, equitable provision of pasteurized donor human milk.

We are a proud member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) and work alongside more than 30 nonprofit milk banks to help save little lives through the distribution of donor milk.

More than 9.5 million ounces of donor milk dispensed to babies who needed it most.

Milk Bank Safety: Our Top Priority

Accredited by:

We follow best practices and accreditation standards set by HMBANA so every ounce of donor milk meets the highest level of safety and quality.

Each donor is carefully screened.

Each ounce of donor milk is pasteurized and tested.

Each safety standard is based on scientific evidence and set by HMBANA and the FDA.

Inside Our Processing Lab

Milk arrives frozen and is logged into our database.

Milk is carefully thawed and mixed.

Milk is pasteurized by gently heating bottles to 62.5 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

Milk is analyzed to optimize nutrition for fragile babies.

Pasteurization is verified with micro testing and then bottles are frozen.

Bottles are chilled

Milk is bottled and labeled with a barcode to ensure traceability.

Frozen bottles are packed in insulated boxes and transported or shipped on dry ice to hospitals.

Milk Donors Heroes Helping Other Families

Since the milk bank opened in 2004, more than 16,500 mothers have been screened and approved to donate their extra milk.

Mothers donate the extra breastmilk their own babies do not need.

Donors complete a 3-step health screening, including a blood test, to be approved.

They are not paid to donate.

“I hope I’m able to give another mother peace of mind in those early days.” - Kelly

“Getting to donate is such a blessing. I know another baby is getting the best possible nutrition.” - Rayven

Our Programs: More Ways We Nourish & Nurture Free Breastfeeding Support - Baby Café Baby Café is a free, drop-in breastfeeding support group hosted by certified lactation consultants in Fort Worth, Dallas and virtually. Scan the QR code for all free breastfeeding support resources, Baby Café session details and options in Spanish.

Donor Milk for Outpatient Babies Babies at home with a medical need can receive donor milk by prescription. Our charitable care program can help parents pay donor milk processing fees and ensure babies are never denied life-saving donor milk.

Donor Milk to Go (DMTG) DMTG enables healthy newborns to receive donor milk at participating hospitals based on donor milk availability. It provides short-term supplementation as a bridge to a successful breastfeeding routine at home.

Donor Milk for Special Circumstances Donor milk may be available for babies or families facing special circumstances such as HIV, maternal death or adoption.

Scan for more information on outpatient programs.

Bereaved Families After the loss of a baby, some mothers choose to donate breastmilk to ease their grief and help other families. We provide compassionate care through the donor screening process and a bereaved parent support group. Our wall memorial, Carmen’s Trees, honors little lives lost.

817-810-0071

Follow along:

7617 Benbrook Parkway Fort Worth, TX 76126 @texasmilkbank

mothersmilkbank

@texasmilkbank

www.texasmilkbank.org