Being able to give her baby breast milk has always been important to Christelle Mudosa.
“In my country, breast milk is something really sacred. Every baby must have it,” said Mudosa, who moved from The Democratic Republic of Congo to Bismarck, North Dakota in 2017.
So when she couldn’t give her baby, Aurora, breast milk, she didn’t know what to do. Aurora was born early at 36 weeks. Mudosa said her milk hadn’t come.
“The hospital told me she needed to be fed. She wasn’t eating, and we had to make a decision.”
Reducing the need for formula
Mudosa’s nurse told her about a program offered exclusively at Sanford Bismarck for mothers and children in this exact situation: a human breast milk donation program.
Bethany Bernhardt is the director of women’s services of labor and delivery and postpartum at Sanford Health in Bismarck, North Dakota.
She said the program was created five years ago for high-risk newborns and is done through an interstate team effort.
“Our moms could actually bring in their donated milk, bring it to us, and then we would send it to the Denver milk bank, and they would process it for donation. And that milk then goes out to NICU, including our own,” said Bernhardt.
Bernhardt said Sanford Health and the Mother’s Milk Bank in Colorado make sure the donor milk is safe for all babies.
“They screen mom’s blood. They do a questionnaire; they go through all your medications. They actually contact your physician, your baby’s physician, everybody is interviewed to make sure that your milk is safe. Once your blood is screened (and) deemed safe, your milk is then given a number, you’re given a donor number, all your milk has that number,” she said.
Bernhardt said donated breast milk is offered to both routine nursery babies and babies in the NICU.
Why breast milk is so important
She said the importance of babies consuming breast milk cannot be overstated.
“Not only Sanford as an enterprise, but as a nation and a world, the World Health Organization, everybody is encouraging breastfeeding because it’s the healthiest form of food that you can feed your baby,” she added.
Sanford Health accepts donations from community members, like Kaitlyn Kudrna who lives in Wilton, North Dakota.
More: Labor and delivery at Sanford Health
Kudrna has two children of her own, Aspyn and Casen. In the process of breastfeeding her children, she learned she was overproducing breast milk, and wanted to donate her extra supply.
“My babies did not need a NICU stay. They were born very healthy. And I just, as a mom, could not imagine going through that. Especially those first few hours, the stress of having your baby in the NICU, trying to pump, trying to figure that out,” Kudrna said.
To date, Kudrna has donated a whopping 1,200 ounces of breast milk to Sanford Health.
“Having somebody who has milk that’s there and available, that’s healthy for your baby to have? I feel like that’s important,” said Kudrna.
Mudosa said she was surprised to hear about this program, and was grateful to be able to receive such great care close to home.
“I was really grateful to have that option. I didn’t have to bring anything, except for maybe clothes. So even the breast milk, I wasn’t expecting that. So, it’s something we are really grateful.”
It varies, but roughly 10 babies each month utilize the program in Bismarck.
Sanford Health offers support for every mom, whether you’re breastfeeding, pumping or formula feeding. Learn more about lactation services.
Learn more
- Breastfeeding: why it’s good for mom and baby
- Barriers to breastfeeding and how to overcome them
- 5 breastfeeding FAQs for new moms
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Posted In Bismarck, Children's, Here for all. Here for good., Parenting, Pregnancy, Women's
