Health & Fitness
Franciscan Health has Southland’s only human milk depot
Human milk depot helps Family Birth Center at Olympia Fields hospital provide donor milk to most fragile infants
When you enter the Franciscan Health Family Birth Center in Olympia Fields, one of the first things you’ll notice is its attractive interior design. But, behind its visual appeal is state-of-the-art equipment featuring the latest technologies for the special care nursery, labor and delivery and postpartum/gynecological care.
The Special Care Nursery is designated a Level II with extended capabilities, with a state-of-the-art cardiac respiratory monitoring system, as well as a central monitoring system.
“The nursery configuration and technologies create an environment conducive to a greater consistency of care,” said Raquel Lewis, RN, CLC, maternity services patient care coordinator. “The Family Birth Center is also home to the Southland’s only human milk depot, which is particularly important for at-risk infants.”
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Pasteurized donor human milk is an important nutritional therapy for many at-risk Special Care Nursery babies. It offers numerous benefits in the absence of mother’s milk, including infection-fighting, active growth and development hormones, improved digestion, and better nutrition.
“We support breastfeeding as the healthiest nutrition choice for all our newborns, especially in light of the recent baby formula shortage,” said Franciscan Health certified lactation consultant Ann Mitchell, RN, IBCLC. “Being a milk depot site helps us to provide human donor milk for our most fragile newborns.”
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As a result of its support for breastfeeding, the Family Birth Center has earned the prestigious international Baby-Friendly Designation after a rigorous review conducted by Baby-Friendly USA.
Donations to the Franciscan Health Milk Depot are made through its partner, the Mother’s Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes. To become donor, contact the Mother’s Milk Bank at www.milkbankwgl.org or call 847-262-5134 to begin the screening process.
New moms are invited to join a free Breastfeeding Virtual Support Group on the first Wednesday of every month at 2:00 pm. To register, call 708-852-2615, or email ann.mitchell@franciscanalliance.org
The Family Birth Center is focused on the family birthing experience. It features comfortable accommodations for fathers or other support people so they may share the experience from admission to discharge.
Seven private rooms encourage families to be at their baby’s bedside. Each “pod” includes all the equipment required for special needs infants in an intimate environment where parents can spend the night.
“We encourage the family birthing experience,” said Lewis. “It’s especially comforting for parents of special care infants to be with their fragile little ones.”
From prenatal visits and throughout the entire birthing experience, the Franciscan Health Family Birth Center in Olympia Fields offers an unmatched experience for Southland mothers and their families.
Take a virtual tour of the Family Birth Center at www.FranciscanHealth.org
