North Carolina expands human donor milk program with 5 new depots

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced a significant expansion of the North Carolina Human Donor Milk Program. In partnership with WakeMed, the initiative involves the addition of five new donor depots across the state. This expansion aims to improve the availability of pasteurized human donor milk (PHDM) to support the health and well-being of infants, especially those who are premature or medically fragile.

The reasoning behind the expansion

Dr. Kelly Kimple, Acting Director of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health, emphasized the commitment to ensuring that all infants in North Carolina have access to necessary nourishment. The initiative aims to enhance health outcomes for vulnerable infants by increasing the availability of donor milk.

PHDM is crucial in hospitals to reduce risks of serious illnesses like necrotizing enterocolitis, a severe intestinal disease that can be fatal for premature or low-birth-weight infants. PHDM also supports longer exclusive breastfeeding by bridging the gap until a mother’s milk supply is established.

The expansion’s primary goal is to ensure equitable access to pasteurized human donor milk for all families in North Carolina when medically necessary. This effort hopes to provide a fair distribution of resources to support individuals with insufficient human milk production.

WakeMed Cary Mothers’ Milk Bank has expressed gratitude for the partnership with NCDHHS, which has facilitated the setup of five new depot sites for additional milk collection.

Where to find the new depots

The new donor depots are located in the following counties:

Cumberland County: LATCH Breastfeeding and Postpartum Wellness Center & Central Carolina Doulas

• 154 Bow St., Suite C, Fayetteville, NC 28301
• Milk drop-off hours by appointment only: Monday – Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Phone: 910-849-9221
• Contact: Sarah Lester or Aida Algarin

Durham County: Carolina Birth and Wellness

• 5850 Fayetteville Road Suite 202, Durham, NC 27713
• Phone: (919) 480-1423
• Schedule a drop-off appointment online

Jackson County: Birthstone Breastfeeding & Wellness Center

• 494 W Main St., Sylva, NC 28779
• Phone: (828) 331-1592

Mecklenburg County: Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center

• Novant Health Breastfeeding, “G” level Women’s Center, 200 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204
• Phone: (704) 384-7515

Pasquotank County: Sentara Albemarle Medical Center

• 1144 N Road St., Elizabeth City, NC 27909
• Phone: (252) 384-4348