Breast Milk Lab

Breast milk is the best first food for babies. Many studies have shown that for newborns, breast milk fortifies the immune system, lowers the risk of developing asthma and allergies and lessens the risk of ear infections, respiratory infections and diarrhea. But premature babies often miss out on breastfeeding due to their size, which can be detrimental to their health in the long run.

To help combat this issue and protect Piedmont Augusta's smallest and most fragile patients, University Health Care Foundation raised nearly $175,000 to create the Breast Milk Lab and pumping room for Piedmont Augusta's Special Care Nursery.

While not a repository for donated milk, Piedmont Augusta's Breast Milk Lab encourages new moms to pump and store their milk if their baby is in the Special Care Nursery. For those moms who, for whatever reason, cannot produce breast milk, Piedmont Augusta will purchase donor milk from a nonprofit HMBANA (Human Milk Banking Association of North America) milk bank, which is screened and heat-treated before being frozen for shipment.