Milk depot opens at St. Cloud Hospital

St. Cloud Hospital is opening a milk depot beginning Wednesday, March 27, in partnership with the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies, the only organization in Minnesota that processes and distributes human donor milk. The goal is to ensure that medically vulnerable babies in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest have access to safely pasteurized human donor milk when a mother’s own milk is unavailable or in low supply.

A milk depot is a place where women can bring extra milk to donate to other babies. The milk is then transported to the milk bank where it is pasteurized, tested for bacteria, frozen, stored and shipped to health care facilities in need.

“We’re excited to bring a milk drop-off location to Central Minnesota,” said Jeanne Friebe, RN, a lactation specialist and coordinator of the milk depot program at St. Cloud Hospital. “Mothers’ milk is precious and a healthy gift for infants in need. It also makes the donor feel good. It’s a win-win situation.”

Before milk is accepted, every donating mother is carefully screened by a phone interview, written application and blood test. To become a milk donor, contact the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies at 763-546-8051. After passing the screening process, make an appointment to drop off your donations at St. Cloud Hospital by calling 320-251-2700, ext. 51990.