Donate your breastmilk today!
Start Strong
The Start Strong Campaign highlights the urgent need for donor breast milk and encourages breastfeeding mothers to donate their surplus milk to help nourish and protect infants in need, particularly those in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Every year, approximately 360,000 babies are admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) across the United States (PubMed). In California, an estimated 47,000 babies require NICU care annually, with an admission rate of approximately 11.9% of all live births (PMC). Many of these infants, particularly those born preterm or with medical complications, rely on donor breast milk for survival and optimal growth.
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe intestinal disease affecting approximately 10% of preterm infants with a birth weight of less than 1,500 grams. This translates to an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 cases annually in the United States, with devastating consequences for these vulnerable infants. In California, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 infants are affected by NEC each year, with devastating consequences for these vulnerable babies (MedStanford).
By partnering with hospitals, healthcare professionals, and community organizations, the Start Strong Campaign seeks to inform, inspire, and mobilize mothers to donate their milk. These heroes strengthen families and provide life-saving nourishment to babies in need.
Increase Awareness
Educate the public and healthcare providers about donor milkβs life-saving role for vulnerable infants. Highlight how awareness drives donations, ensuring every baby has access to the nourishment they need to thrive.
Encourage Milk Donation
Motivate mothers to donate surplus milk by emphasizing its safety, simplicity, and profound impact. Foster a culture where this act of generosity becomes a norm, supporting NICUs and families.
Build Community Support
Foster a collective commitment among our partners to share the message of the campaign with their networks, ensuring that more mothers learn about the life-saving potential of their gift and are motivated to donate.
Save Lives
Donor breast milk plays an essential role in the development and survival of premature and ill infants, providing them with the nutrients and antibodies they need to thrive.
Strengthen Communities and Families
This campaign unites communities and families, celebrating the power of giving and our collective responsibility to support the most vulnerable.
Ensure a Steady Supply
With AB3059 and California’s push for Baby-Friendly hospitals, plus rising NICU demand, we must inspire more mothers to donate – securing life-saving milk for vulnerable infants.
Become an Ambassador
Distribute campaign materials and information through your networks, social media channels, and community events.
Host Awareness Events including Milk Drives
Partner with us to host informational sessions, workshops, or community milk drives to spread the word about the importance of breast milk donation.
Encourage Donations
Direct breastfeeding mothers to sign up to donate milk, either by providing them with informational resources or linking them with our team for easy registration.
Advocate for Donor Human Milk
We urge our partners to write to their elected officials, advocating for policies that expand access to donor human milk and support its use in hospitals to ensure vulnerable infants receive this life-saving nourishment.
Encourage Your Local Hospital to Become a Champion for Donor Human Milk
Advocate for your local hospital to integrate donor milk into their care practices. Support the implementation of policies that ensure donor milk is available for infants in need, making a life-saving difference in neonatal and pediatric care within your community.
Encourage Your Pediatrician to Support Donor Milk
Speak with your pediatrician about the benefits of donor human milk for infants whose mothers are unable to breastfeed, whether due to medical reasons or other challenges. Ask them to support its use as a trusted alternative to help ensure the health and well-being of vulnerable infants.
Together, we can ensure that every baby has the chance to Start Strongβwith the nourishing power of breast milk. Your partnership in this campaign will help save lives and strengthen the future of our most vulnerable infants.
I am both honored and thrilled to be a milk donor for Mothers’ Milk Bank California. My decision to donate breast milk comes from a deeply personal experience. My son, Landon, was born prematurely due to preeclampsia and spent a month in the NICU. When I first found out I was pregnant, I imagined that I would breastfeed my baby right away. However, because Landon arrived early, I had to wait until he was ready to breastfeed. In the meantime, I began pumping, and to my surprise, I became an overproducer.
During Landonβs NICU stay, I felt incredibly fortunate to have an abundance of milk for my little preemie fighter. But I also witnessed other moms in the NICU struggling to provide milk for their preemie babies. The nurses caring for Landon even remarked on how amazing it was that I could produce so much, considering how premature babies can impact a mother’s milk supply.
It was during this time that I discovered Mothers’ Milk Bank California and learned how I could become a donor. I wanted to share the gift of my milk with other NICU babies and families in need. As a nurse, I understand just how crucial breast milk is for premature infants, and I knew this was a way I could help.
I am incredibly grateful to Mothers’ Milk Bank California for allowing me to become a donor. Being able to share the blessing of my milk with other NICU babies and their families has been an absolute privilege. Thank you for this opportunity to give back and make a difference in the lives of these vulnerable babies.
βAlyssa
Become a Start Strong Partner today by downloading our Start Strong Partner Toolkit! It’s packed with everything you need to help spread the word, share resources, and advocate for the life-changing power of donor milk. Whether you’re a hospital, pediatrician, or community leader, this toolkit gives you the tools to be a champion for babies in need. Don’t waitβlet’s work together to give these babies the healthiest start possible. Download the toolkit now and start making a difference today!
Stay tuned! Exciting things are on the horizon! π±