The Milk Depot
The Milk Depot serves as a safe, controlled collection point where women can donate their extra breast milk to premature and at risk infants.
Sharing the Benefits of Breast Milk
Do you have extra breast milk? Did you know you can donate that milk to help nourish premature and at-risk babies? The Milk Depot at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies serves as a safe, controlled milk collection point.
We’re proud of our community’s generosity and the many women who’ve donated to the Milk Depot. These donations are literally lifesavers.
The babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer depend on this nourishment to thrive when their mother’s milk is not available. Donor milk is used by preemies and older babies who cannot tolerate formula, have a weakened immune system or have special dietary needs.
Your generous donation can do wonders for these special babies. Donated milk greatly reduces the incidence of digestive tract infections and many other infections. And it doesn’t take a lot: One ounce of donated milk can feed a tiny preemie for an entire day and give him or her a fighting chance at surviving and improved health.
Orlando Health Winnie Palmer is proud to be a drop-off site for Human Milk Banking Association of North American (HMBANA) milk banks. A HMBANA milk bank screens and tests potential donors, pasteurizes and cultures donated milk, then bottles the milk for shipment. This process is incredibly important as only milk from a HMBANA milk bank can safely be given to premature and sick infants receiving hospital care.
Please consider donating your extra milk! You’re likely to qualify as a donor if:
- You’re in generally good health
- You don’t smoke
- You’re not taking medications on a regular basis
For more information on milk donation or to complete a pre-screening to see if you are eligible to make a donation, please call the Donor Milk Depot at (321) 843-8264.
