January 2008 Winner
Got Milk? Help save babies' lives by supporting startup ...
Got Milk? Help save babies' lives by supporting startup costs at the Mothers' Milk Bank of New England
Simply put, tags are keywords used to identify an idea. Just click on one of the tags below to find like-minded ideas.
-
Q1: We anticipate no challenges using these funds for the stated purposes. We have a hard-working, talented, and committed board of directors and staff, and have made great progress in working toward the establishment of the Milk Bank. We are ready to move!
(13 replies)Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by LSalvage04.22.09 | 03:54 AMwhat is your website? it should be posted here for anyone to click on and help you now!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by NikkiLee01.22.08 | 08:31 AMI wish that every city in the nation with a level 2 or 3 NICU would have a milk bank. Human milk is the most underutilized resource in the nation.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by irlmumof201.20.08 | 03:03 PMThank you for doing such a beautiful thing. Our area does not have a milk bank, and our hospitals do not use them and it is a crime. Good, no Great for you and all of the families you will be helping!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by chefyvi01.20.08 | 01:25 PMwould be able to give you some soon :D
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by tryin2shine01.19.08 | 02:47 PMSo glad to be able to help!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by erinely01.19.08 | 09:51 AMGreat idea. I was a La Leche League Leader for 10 years and nursed both my kids, who are now teenagers. This is greatly needed and a wonderful option for babies who for one reason or another do not have access to breastmilk.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by Ilenef01.19.08 | 05:28 AMSome of you have indicated wanting to donate to our cause. If you email us at info@milkbankne.org we'll be happy to give you more information on where to send a donation. Thanks for you support!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by akornyu01.18.08 | 06:52 PMGood luck! I will be in line to donate when you are up and running.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by sloringcrane01.18.08 | 11:32 AMGood luck! I donated over 2000 oz to the Wake Med bank! Would have been nice to have one closer to home (NJ).
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by drkendra01.16.08 | 11:49 AMsoooo great!! think of all the OTHE possibilities as well, you could make salves for diaper rash, conjunctivitis, and on and on
I hope you win
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by JennO01.16.08 | 09:20 AMI love this!! We need this, thank-you and good luck!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
01.16.08 | 07:26 AMThis is very hard work, but so very worth the effort. We are a community hospital that has been receiving human milk from the Indianapolis Milk Bank and hope you can find the same satisfaction as we in knowing that the lives and rights of our tiniest citizens are being protected.
-
What advice do you have to help me grow my idea?
(11 replies)Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
02.25.08 | 04:40 PMGood job on winning the $10,000, you really deserved it--your idea can save babies' lives and positively affect the general community! Now that you have won and your media exposure will no-doubt have a huge surplus, our advice would be to find a public-relations and media advisor to sort through all of your interview/speaking requests and help you find the right organizations and events for you.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by charo02.25.08 | 02:13 PMits a great idea, i hope that every country in the world would have this kind of bank, specially this would be important in third world countries with limited resources.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by techperson02.16.08 | 09:59 AMWhy pasteurize? It kills all the enzymes that are so important for baby's health! When we transitioned our 5 year old from breast milk, we bought a miniature Jersey cow to have raw milk for her. She won't drink supermarket milk! Our six-week old will follow the same path, and we are now in a cow share program and don't even have to milk a cow.
Have you analyzed pasteurized versus raw breast milk? I think you are making a major, perhaps life-threatening, mistake.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by lactivist1801.31.08 | 02:44 PMWe need more milk banks in the US.
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by Mommybug01.30.08 | 09:24 AMWondeful idea! I hope you win! :)
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by Therobbos01.29.08 | 09:08 PMGood luck! It's a great thing you are doing.
Mel - Australia
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by jumagi01.29.08 | 08:19 AMA wonderful idea that I will pass on!
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
01.28.08 | 11:46 AMHey Ilene,
Remember me from the framingham bf coordinators monthly meetings . I used to work for South Central. It never amazes me to find out the amount of work that Massachusetts puts into breastfeeding. When I was hired for AZ. wic, 2 1/2 years ago, I was only 1 of 2 IBCLC's. We have improved that number but Az. has far to go to even come close to comparisson.
Keep up the good (sorry, GREAT) work, helping nursing mothers everywhere.
I miss everybody from Massachusetts but the weather here is so much nicer. I can see snow in the mountains. That is close enough for me.
Holly Bushy
IBCLC
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by lizdehart01.27.08 | 11:27 PMHave you marketed your idea ( to garner votes) at La Lache League forums?
Are you sure you want to report as abuse?
by RICNM01.26.08 | 09:36 PMIf we only spent as much time with our babies at our breasts as we do watching mindless palaver on the television or the numerous other non-essential things with which we 'busy' our lives, our world would be a far healthier one on every level. (And, I assure you, that even as a mother who joyfully breastfed two children, I'm equally 'guilty' of having wasted time on countless activities that haven't improved my life or that of my children in ANY significant way.....). This is an idea that should get that level of support at least 100X
Idea Description
The Mothers' Milk Bank of New England is a newly formed non-profit milk bank serving babies, hospitals, and families throughout New England. The Milk Bank will provide screened and pasteurized breastmilk to premature and critically ill babies, primarily in neonatal intensive care units. This milk will be donated by volunteer mothers in our region. For sick and premature babies, breastmilk can mean the difference between life and death, and a short or long hospital stay. Studies have shown that premature babies who receive banked milk are far less likely to suffer life-threatening complications and have much faster recovery rates.
What will you do if you win $10,000 for this idea?
1) Processing and storage equipment. $5,000 for the purchase of equipment; freezers, pasteurizers, refrigerator, etc.
2) Milk Money Fund. Insurance doesn't always cover the cost of donor milk. $3,000 would be for our Milk Money Fund, to provide donor milk to families who cannot afford the processing and shipping fees.
3) Start-up marketing costs. $2,000 for publicizing the Milk Bank in our region, particularly to recruit potential milk donors i.e. radio public service announcements, web and print materials to educate the parents and medical providers about milk donation and use.
You like it. You’re confused by it. You want to know more. Ask questions and post comments here.
Post a commentwonderful idea. mother's milk is still best for newborn babies. i hope other hospitals would do this kind of milk banking service too.
Great idea. Congratulations on your wining! I also have an idea about helping the babies at: http://ideablob.com/ideas/1599-A-Website-for-Exchaning-Selling
Congratulations on winning the contest!! What a great idea and for such an important cause.
Why is this needed some ask - My son was born at 28 weeks and my breast milk is large factor in why he is now a healthy 32 month old. He needed to have my milk fortified as he fed through a tube and later nursed at my breast while still having supplemental feedings of fortified milk. He couldn't tolerate most hypoallergetic formulas, let alone supermarket formula. His digestive problems still impact his breathing problems - but it was the breast milk that helped him most. I struggled with my supply and shed many tears while pumping in the middle of the night. Yet it didn't compare to how my son struggled to eat and breath during his 3 1/5 months at the NICU. At least I knew I was doing all I could for him. I cried with another NICU mom who just couldn't provide milk for her sick chil…mored. She didn't need pressure to BF, she needed a milk bank in New England. I know that my milk is one reason why my son's immune system is approaching normal and hope other preemies and sick children can benefit from this service. How can non-lactating people help support this program?
Great Good
I am so excited that you are doing this. I work in the field of HIV/AIDS and more and more HIV+ women are having children and would like to breastfeed so I am glad that this Milk Bank can be a potential resource for them.
Much need.Best of luck
Best wishes !!! Sending you love and support. I am very blessed I can breastfeed my baby. We need this to support the woman who can't. Let me know if you need anything. Stephanie Watson-Campbell CLC New York City
A good idea...good luck!
I'm glad to see someone stepping up and doing something about this. I wish I had more resources to help. You may want to consider contacting the pump manufacturers for donations. I challenge more men to get involved and show your support. A Dad BF supporter in NH
What a great idea. I am the mother of two breast fed babies, one born 10 weeks early and I totally support a NE milk bank. I was fortunate enough to make a great supply by pumping for my preemie but know there are many moms who can not. Best of luck!
I found this through reneeholiday's website post and I have since copied, pasted, and e-mailed it wherever I could for support. Good luck!!!!
My daughter has given birth to 3 preemies,in the last 4 1/2 years, the last one weighing only 2lb.7oz. All of them were in the hospital for several weeks, and my daughter had to spend hours a day pumping to get enough milk to feed them. She was already in a weakened state because of high blood pressure(which had caused her to deliver early in the first place.), so it was extremely difficult for her to get enough milk for the babies.She was exhausted all the time. SUPER IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!
This endeavor is necessary for the health of our premature newborns. LaurieO
This is a Great idea! There always seems to be a crisis somewhere, we can't perdict the future. Good Luck!!
Good luck. From an Aussie breastfeeding mum.
Excellent and timely endeaver; about time !
"Brest" of luck! ;) Breastfeeding got me and my dd through my husband's deployment, one nursing, nurturing session at a time.
You got my vote! I was fortuante to breastfeed both my kids but some mothers (and newborns) aren't so lucky!
Yes we need more milkbanks hopefully this one and hundreds like it are started and flourish
Wonderful, wonderful idea! Kudos to you for doing something so important.
Nice idea get mothers milk at no charge and charge the hospitals a premium for the milk Should make lots of money
best of luck from a HK breastfeeding mom
As a grandma of a newborn, and a longtime La Leche League Leader, I know how important mothers' milk banks are.
yea! go mommy milk!!! best wishes from fort lauderdale. we'll link on our site <http://21stCenturyParenting.com>
Best of luck with this great cause!
GOOD LUCK WITH THIS GREAT IDEA.GEORGIA SUPPORTER!
As a mom of 3 soon to be 4 I have breastfed all of my children as long as possible, a member of La Leche a full supporter of donating breastmilk, anyway that I can help I will do so. Keep pushing for all those little babies!!!!!!
best wishes from a hong kong brestfeeding mom!
Wonderful, wonderful idea! Best of luck in this important endeavor.
Cool idea! Good luck!
Banked milk is 'medicine' for premies and many other babies in the NICU whose Mom's can't or won't provide their milk for their baby. This is a life saving mission you are on and I support you heartily! Imagine a world where lactating Mom's shared their milk and no baby ever had to have artificial milk! Okay, I know that is a fantasy but it is a nice one isn't it?
Just got this from Amygeekgrl and it's my pleasure to pass this wonderful idea on to my readers and contacts!!! Thank you for doing this!!! :) Much luck and success! :)
How I wish this was here when we adopted our first son who was allergic to cows milk. It was a tough first year for him.
Blogged about this and passed it on to several message boards. Best of luck! :)
this is a great idea for the babies.
This is so wonderful for babies!!!
This is a great support for breastfeeding moms and adoptive moms and best for humanity. Greater access to the gold standard breast milk for infants can vastly improve the health of these babies.
GOOD LUCK!!
I fully support this idea and think that there is nothing better than our breast milk for babies, especially those that are in critical condition and without their mothers. My own concern is for how much of the vital energy, nutrients, and digestive enzymes are lost through the pasteurization process. The screening component is great and necessary. Is there a way to freeze the milk promptly enough and keep it without it going bad? Would this be against health and safety standards? Probably. Regardless, this is an idea well worth developing and I stand behind it 100%!!! Thank you to those who have been instrumental in cultivating this gift of an idea.
This is excellent. I gave birth to a newborn that only lived for two weeks in 2005. However I pumped milk from birth until his passing. Hoping one day he would be strong enough to drink it. He later passed and I had no where to send all that milk that I had frozen. The hospital and I called several places and there were no milk banks in Michigan. So I was forced to throw it out. I wished that I had known about other milk banks. This milk is definitely a gift from GOD. I pray that all mothers would at least try to breast feed their babies. May GOD bless you in your endeavors to be successful.
This is so needed! am praying you win this one! Wish there had been a milk bank around where we were in '97 when my DD was born.. we would not have had the problems we did. Thanks for all your hard work and I hope that more people help you out.
on our little island off the coast we do this all the time. How cool to make free-range organic momma's milk available on a much larger scale. peace.
Breast is best! I hope this idea wins!
Excellent Idea! Great work,I will forward this to all I know!
Good Luck!
As a board member of MMBNE I thank-you all for your comments and support. It is important work we all do and it will happen soon. I will be speaking at the N.H. Breastfeeding Task Force conference on June 2 at Dartmouth Medical Center about the milk bank. Jane .
This is so important- best of luck- what a worthy cause.
Good luck! This is a great idea
Good luck in this endeavor. I hope you win.
Good Luck!!! As a donor myself I think this is awesome. I am so thrilled to see these babies get the best possible start in life.
If only you'd been around when I had to dump all my frozen milk in 2003... Good luck! This is a wonderful idea, and I'd love to see it take off.
Good Luck!! I hope you win!! Milk Banks are SOO important. I would love to donate next time around...
good luck, i wish in israel we would have one!
i am mother to 5 and i breasfed them all. i am praying that this wonderful idea wins. i am always moved when people decide to do something to help children. you are making a real difference. godd luck and God bless.
I hope you win!
i've been trying to figure out how to start one here in toronto - doesn't make sense we have a world-class children's hospital (Sick Kids') but no milk bank!? i thinik education and awareness is also critical - so many ppl think breastmilk somehow "turns off" at x months or years of age when the reality is that even toddlers and children with leukemia would reap huge benefits: their immune systems are destroyed by the treatment and breastmilk contains antibodies specially geared to protecting the child without an immune system!
To the poster who asked what was wrong with formula - many babies do well on it, however there is no substitute for breastmilk. For premature and sickly babies, that can literally be the difference between life and death. This is such a worthy cause. I just got done pumping for my daughter, and if this milk bank had been open, I'd have likely pumped longer in order to have some to donate. Good luck and I hope to be a donor next time!
I'm the nurse/ LC and board member of the MMBNE that arranged for that milk for her 23 wkr. We need this milk bank in the New England area so many more baby's can benefit from it's bounty. Susan
My Daughter was a 23 weeker and I couldnt breastfeed so this milk is what keep her alive. Tell everyone about this. It saves lives Renae
I will definitely spread the word. Best of luck!
Great one!
I'll pass it on. Hope you win!
You all have been working so hard to get this Milk Bank up & running - Good Luck!
What a great opportunity! Sure hope you win. LC in GA
yall sure are getting a lot of support in a hurry. Good luck if you really need it. Seem to be doing just fine. I understand the need of breast milk. But my wife currently uses similac on our newborn son, what's wrong with that? My little brother was also bred on it, and he's on his way to a Div 1 baseball scholarship next year. My daughter is a healthy 7yrs old and was raised the same.
you've got my vote and my fervent best wishes!
Great idea, St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Brighton would love to take part in this!!
good luck it is a great idea
Good luck! This first PR blitz would also be a great time to include information on how individuals and businesses could donate time or money to this amazing cause. I know I would be willing! I am excited to see the organization begin to help babies across New England get a healthy start in life.
Rock on! Good luck!
Terrific idea! Best wishes...
Love the idea!!! I would love to donate when you get off the ground!!! Good luck.
Good luck! Will pass along the info--great idea!
Thanks for the info~ I hope this works~
I'd definitely be interested in learning more. Keep up the enthusiasm! Check out my idea when you have a chance, huyuno.com. Hopefully you'll be one of the site's first members! Cheers :)
Sure hope this helps! As a mom, Grandma, LLLleader for 30+years and past doner, I would love to see a milk bank in our area again helping provide human milk for the ones who need it so desperately. JanC
I'll pass this on to those I know!
As a milk donor, mom, LLL member, and epidemiologist, best wishes for success!
This is hard work, but well worth the effort. We are a community hospital and have been receiving mother's milk from the Indianapolis Milk Bank. As your project moves forward, I hope that you can find the same satisfaction in knowing that the lives and rights of our tiniest citizens are protected when they receive the food designed especially for them!
I hope that this worthy and practical idea gains the support that it deserves.
Just voted as a 3X nursing mom, La Leche League Leader and a women who cares about infants and children! Best Wishes! Jo
I've just voted for this wonderful idea and will blog about it too :)
I will blog this! This is an amazing idea! This cause is so needed. So many babies need this ..... Thank you!
This is a wonderful idea!! Momma's milk is so special! GOOD LUCK!
What a wonderful idea. As a doner and nursing mom, I fully support this an dpray that you win. Voted and passing out the email to other moms. Good luck!!
Awesome idea, This could work . What a blessings. Continue to SUPPORT, PROTECT, PROMOTE BREASTFEEDING!!!
Good luck! I've passed this on to all the moms of the Baby Cafe! As a former donor, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Good luck! I'll blog about this to get more votes!
Best of luck with this noble endeavor!
As a breastmilk donor, I think this is a fantastic idea! Each oz is a blessing to babies in need!
Excellent plan - I hope this gets off the ground asap so little babies have more of a fighting chance!
What a fantastic idea! Mother's milk saves lives and there is no doubt the money would be going for a very important cause.
This is such an important and worthwhile cause!