Norfolk, Va. – In the summer of 2014, the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters will open the first donor milk bank in the state of Virginia.

This donor milk bank will be only the 14th of its kind in the country. It will provide breast milk to critically ill newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit. Within the past year, CHKD has treated more than 100 babies with donor milk and about 10 patients on average get the milk each day. Right now, CHKD works with three donor banks from other parts of the country.

They say studies show breast milk can decrease the odds of life-threatening complications and infections in premature infants.

CHKD says they are hoping that by establishing the milk bank and getting more local donors, they can alleviate shortages that exist right now.

After taking the first year to develop a donor base, they hope to have enough milk to offer to other hospitals in Hampton Roads and beyond.