Flagler Hospital Opens Milk Bank October 1

Through a partnership with Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida, Flagler Hospital is now a milk depot to serve St. Augustine and the surrounding communities. As a milk depot, we will serve as a safe, controlled collection point where women can donate their mother’s milk for premature and at risk infants in need. We make it easy for moms to help other moms provide vitally important nutrients to their babies who are struggling to survive.

What is human milk banking?

• Flagler Hospital is associated with the Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida, which is a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA)
• A HMBANA milk bank not only screens and tests its donors, but will also pasteurize and then test (culture) the milk prior to bottling for shipment. Only donor milk from a HMBANA milk bank can be safely given to preterm, hospitalized infants.
• Milk banks depend on "drop off" milk depots in order to meet the growing demand for donor human milk.

Why donate mother’s milk?

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pasteurized donor human milk be given to premature infants when a mother’s own milk cannot be used.
• Pasteurized donor human milk provides life-saving benefits to premature and at risk infants
• There is a critical shortage of Donor Human Milk in the United States

The milk bank phone number is 904-819-4098. If you are interested in donating milk, the first step to beginning this process is by calling Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida at 407-248-5050 to be screened.