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CHKD Milk Bank seeks donors to help premature or critically ill infants

Posted at 3:59 PM, Sep 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-27 15:59:37-04
A pediatric nurse feeds a premature baby with milk during the first day of donation of human milk at Medellín's General hospital on August 20, 2014 in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia. The region's first Human Milk Bank opened recently, with the aim of reducing the mortality rate in premature infants, preventing disease, ensuring normal growing on newborns and to promote breast-feeding. AFP PHOTO/Raul ARBOLEDA (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images)

A pediatric nurse feeds a premature baby with milk during the first day of donation of human milk at Medellín’s General hospital on August 20, 2014 in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia. (Photo credit should read RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images)

NORFOLK, Va. – The King’s Daughters Milk Bank is looking for people interested in donating surplus milk to help premature or critically ill infants.

The infants are in the NICU and the bank was established to provide the life-saving benefits of breast milk the infants that need it.

The Milk Bank is a nonprofit, hospital-based donor milk bank and was the first of its kind in Virginia when it opened in 2014.

At the time of the bank’s opening it was also only one of 14 in the country.

The mink donations help to improve the infant’s potential to survive.

Many factors can prevent mothers of preterm or critically ill infants from providing a sufficient supply of their own milk. CHKD says the breast milk decreases the odds of life-threatening complications and infections in premature infants during the first months of their lives, and that is where the donations come in to help.

CHKD asks that interested donors email KDMilkBank@CHKD.org or call  (757) 668-MILK.

The bank is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 400 Gresham Drive in Norfolk.

Click here for more information on the Milk Bank.

Related:

Virginia Beach mom makes record donations to CHKD breast milk bank

CHKD to establish first Donor Milk Bank in Virginia