DENVER — Just a few weeks ago, Kimberly Jordan welcomed a new baby into her family.
“I have a 6-week-old son, he’s my second [child],” she said. “We started breastfeeding from the very beginning and things are going well.”
Well enough, Jordan says, she considers herself lucky. While many families are scrambling to find baby formula – she’s not only breastfeeding, she’s able to pump extra.
“I started banking as soon as I heard about the formula shortage. My first thought was gosh, what if something happens to me?” she said. “And I have a really good supply, about two weeks' worth, total now. So I feel comfortable at this point saying I have extra.”
Democratic Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order declaring the formula shortage a “disaster emergency.” That declaration frees up funds so families can access free donor milk right now, up to 40 ounces, from the non-profit Mothers' Milk Bank.
The bank says families with premature, sick and newborn babies will take priority. Families needing more than 40 ounces will need a prescription.
Wanting to help, Jordan reached out to Mothers' Milk Bank, to offer some of her milk as a donation for other families.
“The screening process was really simple,” she said. “It was just a phone interview, online forms to fill out, went and had a blood test. It was very similar questions to donating blood.”
For now, Jordan says she is taking care of her own baby’s needs, and pumping about one extra time a day for her donation. She’ll freeze and store her milk for donation, much like she does to bank extra for her own family.
She hopes this work will help a family who doesn't have another option.
“A lot of babies have very specific needs too: Allergies, need-specific formulas. For them, the next best option is donor milk,” she said.
Anyone interested in receiving donor milk, or interested in donating breast milk, can learn more information at the Mothers' Milk Bank website.
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