North Carolina Expands Access to Donor Human Milk for Infants
In a significant move to support infant nutrition, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced the expansion of donor human milk access points across the state. This initiative aims to facilitate easier access for families needing pasteurized donor milk and to encourage donations.
Human breast milk is crucial for premature and medically vulnerable infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) due to its life-saving antibodies. It’s estimated that six out of ten NICU babies require more milk than their mothers can provide. With the expansion of outpatient access, families can now obtain donor milk after hospital discharge, offering vital support while a mother’s milk supply is being established or when supplementation is necessary.
WakeMed plays a pivotal role in this effort, distributing around 300,000 ounces of pasteurized donor human milk annually. Of this, 95% is utilized by NICUs throughout North Carolina and the Southeast. Traditionally, donor milk was primarily used in hospital settings, but the NCDHHS, in partnership with WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank, is extending its availability to outpatient settings.
“We are working to increase access to safe, high-quality human milk for infants when they need it,” stated Dr. Kelly Kimple, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health. “Expanding access to screened donor milk beyond the hospital ensures that families have the resources they need to support their infant’s nutrition and feeding goals.”
Donor human milk can now be prescribed for outpatients when medically necessary and accessed through participating pharmacies and lactation care centers. Currently, two locations in North Carolina distribute this pasteurized donor human milk.
The availability of donor milk heavily relies on adequate milk donations. In 2024, NCDHHS, in collaboration with WakeMed, initiated five new milk depots in Cumberland, Durham, Jackson, Mecklenburg, and Pasquotank counties. These locations allow approved donors to conveniently drop off frozen milk, which is then processed and distributed by WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank.
The donor milk drop-off network has further expanded with the addition of two new sites in 2026:
- GenerationEd – Greensboro: Established as a WakeMed donor milk drop-off site in June 2026, it is the only location in Guilford County.
- Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center – Winston-Salem: Opened in October 2026, further enhancing milk donation access in the region.
Plans are underway to introduce additional drop-off sites in New Hanover County and Pitt County later this year, with more details to be announced.
To donate human milk, individuals must first be approved by WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank through a screening process that ensures the safety of the milk for vulnerable infants. “Every donation can make a meaningful difference for a vulnerable infant,” emphasized Kerrie Gottschall, MSN, RN, Manager of WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank. “We are grateful to the generous families who donate their milk and to the community partners helping us make donation more accessible across North Carolina.”
NCDHHS launched a campaign in July 2026 to educate North Carolinians on donating breast milk to support newborns in need. Potential donors can learn more about milk donation on NCDHHS’ website.
The FDA advises consulting healthcare providers and obtaining donor milk from sources that screen donors and adhere to safety protocols, while discouraging direct milk acquisition from individuals or online sources.
WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank, located in Cary, is the sole human milk bank in North Carolina accredited by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. It collects, tests, and pasteurizes milk from approved donors before distribution to hospitals and approved recipients.
For more information on donating or obtaining donor human milk, contact WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank at 919-350-8599 or visit the WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank website. Healthcare providers can find information about prescribing pasteurized donor human milk.
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