Riverside's new breast milk donation center to help save the lives of fragile babies

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Brianna McFarland is helping fragile babies from her Cherry Valley home by breastfeeding her 4-month-old daughter Lara-Jeana.

"I was drowning in milk and she could only drink so much. She was only drinking a couple ounces a day. I started over producing three days after she was born," said McFarland.

As a new mom she was producing almost a gallon of breastmilk every two days. A lactation specialist who helped McFarland with her breastfeeding suggested she donate the excess to the UC Health Milk Bank at UC San Diego.

"I have been able to ship to UC milk bank in San Diego, but sometimes their boxes don't fit enough when I have to deep purge of the freezer before something would go bad," she said.

She no longer has to ship her donated breast milk instead she can drive and deposit it in Riverside.

Last month, UCR Health Inland Empire Women's Health Center started accepting donations at its newly established Breast Milk Depot.

"It makes it easier for women who can donate breastmilk to get it to the right place. They can bring it here to UCR Health and we can send it down to UC San Diego without them having to make the drive or without them having to send it themselves," said Dr. Brenda Ross-Shelton

Dr. Ross-Shelton is a Maternal-Fetal Medicine OBGYN at UCR Health oversee the breastmilk depot which stores the milk before packaging it on dry ice and shipping it out. The milk is then pasteurized at the UC San Diego Milk Bank and distributed to families and NICUs.

Donor 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.

"Studies show that they are less likely to suffer complications like necrotizing enterocolitis which can be devastating in preterm babies," said Dr. Ross-Shelton.

The UCR Milk Depot is looking to increase the supply breast milk available to families and NICUs by opening its doors in the Mission Grove area of Riverside.

"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," said Dr. Ross-Shelton.

For McFarland donations are providing her with a sense of purpose helping new moms and their babies.

"I didn't know there was such a need for donor milk and I didn't realize how easy could be to receive donor milk if it is needed," she said.

Breast milk isn't just nourishing premature and sick babies - it's medicine that is saving their lives.

If you'd like to learn more about donating breastmilk visit UC Health Breastmilk Bank by clicking the link.