Donor breast milk support for your baby

At Sharp Mary Birch hospitals, our teams are dedicated to helping you find the feeding approach that feels right for you and your baby. Through partnerships with Mothers’ Milk Bank and the UC Health Milk Bank, we make it easier for families to receive quality donor milk during and after their hospital stay.

Donor milk for hospitalized newborns: Mothers’ Milk Bank

At Sharp, in collaboration with the Mothers’ Milk Bank, we are grateful and privileged to provide nourishing breast milk to premature infants and others with specialized health needs.

How it works

At Sharp Mary Birch Center for Women & Newborns Chula Vista and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, all of our breastmilk comes from carefully screened, healthy mothers who generously donate their extra supply. We provide a collection station for these mothers and ship the frozen donations to the Mothers’ Milk Bank for pasteurization. Sharp then purchases pasteurized milk, which is shipped to us for distribution to babies in need.

At Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont, we also receive donated, pasteurized breastmilk that is carefully screened from the Mothers’ Milk Bank for babies in need, but we are unable to collect donated milk.

How it helps

Breastmilk benefits premature babies like no other food because human milk empties from the stomach faster, causes the intestines to mature faster and decreases infant health issues — leading to less time spent in the hospital.

Human breastmilk has helped even the most vulnerable of patients who struggle with health issues such as gastrointestinal problems, immune deficiencies, failure to thrive (FTT), malabsorption syndromes and more.

Donor milk for home use: UC Health Milk Bank

In collaboration with the UC Health Milk Bank, Sharp Mary Birch is honored to be a pick-up site for families to get donor breast milk locally after leaving the hospital. This service makes getting donor milk easier and more convenient for families with newborns.

How it works

1. Order milk from the UC Health Milk Bank

• Review ordering criteria

• Submit a new outpatient family form

• Select delivery method

• Fill your cart and check out

2. Pick up your milk at the Sharp Mary Birch New Beginnings Boutique

• Families can come to our hospital to get their milk Monday through Friday from 10 am to 2 pm

• Pickup is available only at the Sharp Mary Birch San Diego location

Find out more

If you have questions about the breastmilk donor program at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns San Diego, please call our New Beginnings Boutique at 858-939-4127.

If you have questions about the use of donor breastmilk at Sharp Mary Birch Center for Women & Newborns Chula Vista, please call our lactation office at 619-502-5848.

If you have questions about the use of donor breastmilk at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont, please call our lactation office at 619-740-4983.