Milk Miracles in the Making

The Breast Milk Donation Center in Riverside, California: A Game-Changer for Newborns In the heart of Riverside, California, a new breast milk donation center has opened its doors, bringing hope and life to fragile newborns. The center, operated by UCR Health Inland Empire Women's Health Center, is a game-changer for mothers who are producing more milk than their babies can consume. For instance, Brianna McFarland, a new mom, was producing almost a gallon of breastmilk every two days, which was overwhelming. She was struggling to manage her excess milk until a lactation specialist suggested she donate it to the UC Health Milk Bank at UC San Diego. Now, she can simply drive to the new Breast Milk Depot in Riverside and deposit her donated milk. The depot is a convenient and easy way for mothers to donate their excess milk, which is then pasteurized and distributed to families and NICUs (Neonatal Intensive Care Units) in need. The milk is liquid gold for fragile newborns whose mother's own milk may not be sufficient or available. It also offers protection against an often fatal intestinal disease in sick babies. Dr. Brenda Ross-Shelton, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine OBGYN at UCR Health, oversees the breastmilk depot and emphasizes the importance of increasing the supply of breast milk available to families and NICUs. Having access to breast milk from other moms who are super producers makes a huge difference in the NICUs around the state or around the world actually, she said.