More and more hospitals are recognizing the life saving impact breast milk has on babies. But that desperately needed supply of milk, that premature infants rely on, is dwindling fast.
Human milk saves thousands of babies every year. However, lately more and more infants are at risk of dying.
While a mother's milk is ideal for a baby, when a mom can't produce it, a donor is the next best option.
The Mother's Milk Bank in Austin is experiencing a serious shortage in donor breast milk. They supply 57 hospitals across the country. The bank says they need 500 donors this year but they only have 250 so far.
One of the drop-off points is at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio and they too are feeling the shortage.
So why the high demand?
They say one in eight babies is born prematurely with a significant risk for infection, and studies suggest that breast milk is like medicine to them, with benefits baby formula can't provide.
There are three drop-off locations in San Antonio: Northeast Baptist Hospital, North Central Baptist and Methodist Hospital.
Mothers must be screened before donating their milk, but the process is easy.
For information call 1-877-813-6455.
