Extra milk, extra hope
New breast milk depot makes donating easier for area mothers
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Webster County now has its own breast milk collection depot, giving area mothers a convenient way to donate surplus breast milk to help medically vulnerable infants.
Located at the Webster County Health Department, the new depot has already collected approximately 2,000 ounces of donated breast milk, eliminating the need for local donors to travel more than an hour to the nearest collection sites in Lake City or Clarion.
The new depot came about thanks in part to UnityPoint Health nurse Morgan Border, who found herself with more breast milk than her baby needed and a freezer running out of room.
"I wanted to do it because I've been fortunate to have an abundance of milk that we honestly don't have room for, and I know there are babies who can benefit from donor milk," said Border. "I've donated to some close friends before as well, so being able to donate the extra milk I have instead of letting it go to waste was really important to me."
Border thought there should be an easier way for Fort Dodge-area mothers to help. Her efforts helped lead to the establishment of the new depot.
Border reached out to a UnityPoint Labor and Delivery nurse about establishing a local collection site. Her inquiry was forwarded to Sara Carspecken, a registered nurse and maternal health coordinator for the Webster County Health Department, who contacted the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa to learn what it would take to open a depot.
"The Mother's Milk Bank team was incredible in getting all the information to us and the materials we needed, and we were operating as a breast milk depot in no time," said Carspecken.
For Border, bringing a collection site to Fort Dodge seemed like a natural fit for a community that already provides maternity and obstetric services.
"I also thought having a milk depot in Fort Dodge made so much sense," she said. "We have OB/GYN services and deliver babies here, and there are likely other moms in our area who have extra milk they would be willing to donate but may not know how or where to do it."
The new depot serves as a convenient drop-off location for area mothers who have been screened and approved to donate breast milk through the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa, which is part of University of Iowa Health Care.
The milk bank collects donations directly from the Webster County depot, then processes and distributes the milk to medically vulnerable infants in need.
According to Heidi Baudhuin and Swathi Mamillapalli with University of Iowa Health Care, all donated milk is pasteurized in accordance with standards established by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.
The depot itself does not process milk or distribute it to families. It serves only as a collection site for approved donors.
Before donating, mothers must complete a three-step screening process that includes an assessment of their health history, medications, lifestyle factors, and milk collection practices. The Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa covers the cost of the screening process.
Once approved, Fort Dodge-area donors can contact Carspecken at the Webster County Health Department to schedule a convenient time to drop off their milk.
Baudhuin and Mamillapalli said milk collection depots are an important part of meeting a growing demand for donor breast milk, particularly in hospitals where premature babies and infants with serious health conditions may depend on it.
"There is always a great need for milk donors, as lactation is a finite period," said Baudhuin. "The requirement for donor milk continues to increase, especially in hospitals, where medically vulnerable infants, such as those born prematurely or with serious health conditions, depend on it."
Although donations are collected locally, the milk does not necessarily remain in Fort Dodge. Instead, it is sent to the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa for processing and distribution to infants who need it.
For Border, knowing that her surplus breast milk could help another family makes the effort worthwhile.
"As a mom, I'm just really happy that something extra I have can potentially help another baby," said Border. "Some of the babies who rely on donor milk are facing circumstances that no parent ever wants to imagine, so knowing that something as simple as the milk sitting in my freezer can help is really special to me."
She also hopes the new depot will encourage other area mothers to consider donating and raise awareness about an option they may not have known existed.
"I'm excited that we now have a drop-off location here because hopefully it makes donating more accessible and brings more awareness to the option," said Border. "There may be other moms like me who have more milk than their baby needs, and now they have somewhere local to take it."
Women interested in becoming breast milk donors can learn more about the screening process and donation requirements through the Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa online. Once approved, local donors can arrange to drop off their milk at the Webster County Health Department.