ST. LOUIS, MO (September 16, 2024) SSM Health in St. Louis announces it is enhancing the compassionate care their littlest patients receive, and supporting mom’s decision to breastfeed, by expanding the use of pasteurized donor human milk, without charge, throughout all of their birthing centers and special care nurseries in the St. Louis region. This critical resource is made possible by the partnership between SSM Health in St. Louis and The Milk Bank, a non-profit, community-supported entity to improve health outcomes for all babies.
Almost two decades ago, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital began using pasteurized donor human milk for their fragile neonatal intensive care units (NICU) patients to help improve health outcomes. With this expansion, SSM Health in St. Louis now provides pasteurized donor human milk at each Family Birthplace Center which includes SSM Health DePaul Hospital – St. Louis, St. Clare Hospital - Fenton, St. Mary’s Hospital – St. Louis, and St. Joseph Hospital – Lake St. Louis.
For premature and fragile babies, human milk is lifesaving medicine, protecting against devastating illness and infection. But we also know exclusive human milk feeding provides short-term and long-term benefits to all babies. According to the Center for Disease Control, babies fed human milk have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
“This expansion of our partnership with The Milk Bank allows us to provide exceptional health care resources to babies at no additional cost to the parents,” says Katie Althoff-Moore, Regional Director of Women’s Services at SSM Health’s Family Birthplaces in St. Louis. “By offering donated breastmilk for babies in need, we’re able to improve health outcomes, save lives, and assure parents their child is receiving the best nutrition.”
The Milk Bank’s CEO, Freedom Kolb shares, “We are proud of our longstanding partnership with SSM Health and excited about this expanded region-wide access to pasteurized donor human milk. This collaboration highlights a deep commitment to infant health, patient care, and will no doubt save lives. We are grateful to everyone who made this possible.”
St. Louis milk donor, Paige, shares her reason for also donating to The Milk Bank, “Rowan and I are lucky we get to share this with other NICU babies. I hope this milk offers the same relief I felt as a new NICU mom thrown into motherhood before I was expecting it.”
In addition to each Family Birthplace Center having access to pasteurized donated human milk, every center is now Baby-Friendly Designated.
For more information about the human donor milk program at SSM Health in St. Louis, visit ssmhealth.com/breastfeeding.
About SSM Health
Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, fully integrated health system working to advance health equity and empower all people to achieve their full potential.
With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, SSM Health provides convenient access to high-quality community-based services as well as world-class academic medicine, clinical trials, and research studies. The organization’s footprint includes hospitals, physician offices, outpatient and virtual care services, senior care, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a fully transparent pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company, and an accountable care organization. As one of the largest employers in every community it serves, the organization’s 40,000 team members and 13,900+ providers are dedicated to fulfilling SSM Health’s Mission: “Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God.” Like our founding sisters, we care deeply for our communities -- SSM Health reported $470 million in community benefit in 2023, including the provision of more than $346 million in uncompensated care. For more information, visit ssmhealth.com or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About The Milk Bank
A non-profit tissue bank dispensing over 400,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk to hospitals and families throughout the region every year. The Milk Bank improves health outcomes for premature and ill infants and decreases health care expenditures. The Milk Bank follows the strictest safety standards informed by the CDC and FDA and is a proud member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). Visit themilkbank.org to learn more.
