The Great NW Milk Drive: A benefit for pre-term infants comes to Roseburg

ROSEBURG, Ore. -- The Northwest Mothers Milk Bank, Umpqua Valley Breastfeeding Coalition, and the Douglas County Perinatal Task Force are coming together to host the Great NW Milk Drive during the annual Welcome, Baby! Community Baby Shower, to spotlight the importance of human donor milk for preterm infants and to increase the number of milk donors in Southern Oregon.

At the Milk Drive—which will be held during the Community Baby Shower, May 31st from 3-6 p.m. at the Douglas County Fairgrounds—approved milk donors will be able to drop off their milk donations, meet other donor moms and recipients of donor milk, and hear from experts on the importance of donor milk.

Other breastfeeding moms can learn more about the process of becoming a milk donor, start the screening process and have their blood tested on site.

The goal of the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank is to screen and approve eight new donors and collect 1,500 ounces of human donor milk to serve the most medically fragile infants across the Pacific Northwest. Since opening in 2013, the milk bank has approved 14 milk donors in the Umpqua River Valley.

"Scientific evidence has shown that human milk provides a specific nutritional balance for newborn babies," event organizers said. "When a baby is born prematurely, the mother’s body may not be ready or able to produce breast milk immediately. As the only nonprofit milk bank in the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank ensures that milk from Northwest mothers benefits Northwest babies. The Northwest Mothers Milk Bank supports the proven infant health benefits of human milk and provides local sourcing and distribution through safe screening and pasteurization of donor human milk."

To start the process of becoming a milk donor, call the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank at 800-204- 4444 for a 10-minute preliminary phone screening. Following the screening, potential donors will be asked to fill out a questionnaire, consent form and medical release, and then to take a free blood test. Approved donors will be able to drop off their milk and non-approved donors will be able to complete the process on May 31st at the Community Baby Shower or at other milk-drop sites.

For more information, contact Joanne Ransom at the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank at (503) 469-0955.

"The Douglas County Perinatal Task Force is proud to host the second annual Welcome, Baby! Community Baby Shower," the organization said. "This event celebrates all new and expecting parents in Douglas County through games, prizes, snacks, and great information about services in our community for infants and families."

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Here are steps to becoming a donor:

1. Call NWMMB for a 10 minute phone preliminary screening, (800) 204-4444.
2. Fill out health & lifestyle questions, consent forms, and medical releases
3. Visit a laboratory near you for a free blood test.
4. Donate Milk: Become a milk donor, drop off milk and celebrate with Northwest Mothers Milk Bank at The Great NW Milk Drive during the Welcome, Baby! Community Baby Shower, Friday, May 31, 2019 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.