New Milk Donor Program treating babies in need

If you have extra breast milk, the Yuma Regional Medical Center might want it to save babies lives.

The YRMC Donor Milk Program is a new way to donate human milk for critically ill and premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.

They’ve already treated their first patient this year. The Shapiro Twins from Yuma were both born prematurely, but Tessa was the only one to receive donor breast milk because of her size. Her mother, Lana, says she didn’t know this program existed but glad it was able to help her baby stay nourished.

“I believe her getting the donor breast milk rather than the formula really helped her digestive tract and digest food. I wasn’t producing the milk immediately after I gave birth and she pretty much got the donor breast milk immediately, and now she eats fine.” The program is partnered with Prolacta Bioscience, where donors are put through a series of tests and evaluations before their milk can become a donation. YRMC is one of the few hospitals across the nation to have this treatment and there is no cost to participate. For more information on how to become a donor, you can email dshy@yumaregional.org. Watch the full report tonight at 5/6/10p.m. in the Evening Edition.