Pittsburgh Dairy Bank Strong demand – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Mid-Atlantic Breastmilk Bank in Pittsburgh’s Strip District is seeing a huge increase in demand for donor breast milk.

If you’ve never heard of MAMMB, chief executive Denise O’Connor says it’s like a blood bank but for breast milk. As the pandemic continues, she said demand for donor breast milk remains high.

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She says they are seeing the biggest increase in demand in neonatal intensive care units. The nonprofit organization serves 40 hospitals in several states. About 75 percent of donor breast milk is sent to NICUs and 25 percent is delivered to outpatients with serious medical problems.

The Milk Bank has been in Pittsburgh’s Strip District for about six years. They delivered a record high of nearly 300,000 ounces last year.

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O’Connor believes the pandemic may be driving some of the current demand. She also thinks more people are learning about milk banking and how it can help babies.

“We’ve seen strong demand for donor milk and we’ve managed to sustain it, so compared to this time last year, we have about 25 to 30 percent more demand. We’ve heard that many of the NICUs we serve have a really high census right now, so they’re caring for a lot of babies. We’re also seeing the use of donor milk growing, says O’Connor.

With high demand, the need for many donors is huge. O’Connor says mothers who donate voluntarily are carefully screened and donated milk is tested, pasteurized and bottled.

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Mid-Atlantic Breast Milk Bank encourages breastfeeding mothers to think about donating breast milk. You can learn more on the website of MAMMB.