Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center has unveiled a new human milk depot freezer, becoming the sole donation center for Mecklenburg County.
The new facility aims to increase the availability of breast milk by making it easier for families to donate, according to Laura Corsig, Lactation Services Manager for Novant Health Greater Charlotte Region.
With fewer than 30 regulated breast milk banks across the U.S., and the nearest one in Raleigh, milk often has to be tested and pasteurized before being shipped to hospitals. Unfortunately, the existing supply still falls short of demand.
Corsig, who has over 20 years of experience as a lactation consultant, noted, “Sometimes we have to ration the milk to the sickest or most premature babies.” She had advocated for the addition of a local freezer to improve access.
Previously, donors had to package their milk and ship it to Raleigh via FedEx. The new depot allows them to drop off their donations locally, improving the efficiency of the donation process.
The presence of a local depot not only ensures the milk’s safety but also makes donating more convenient for Charlotte residents, potentially increasing donation rates.
Tina Tuttle, a Charlotte mother of toddler twins, expressed her excitement about the new depot. Her twins were born prematurely and spent nearly two months in the NICU at Novant Presbyterian Medical Center. She struggled with feeding and resorted to pumping, which proved challenging for her to keep up with the needs of two infants.
“It was a full-time job just to figure out how to feed my babies,” Tuttle recalled. “I was stressed, and knowing that I had to find milk for my twins was overwhelming.”
Tuttle noted that regulated breast milk is difficult to find, often leading mothers to seek out donations through social media groups. She described the anxiety of reaching out to unknown donors and the difficulties of managing her twins’ feeding needs.
Having a local depot would have alleviated much of her stress, Tuttle said. “It would have been a huge relief. Knowing that support is available close by would make a big difference for many moms.”
The opening of Novant Health’s depot represents a significant step forward in supporting breastfeeding mothers and improving access to vital nutrition for newborns in the Charlotte area.
