KALAMAZOO, MI-- The Mothers' Milk Bank at Bronson Methodist Hospital, the only breast milk bank in the state, needs more milk.

So the center has put a plea out on social media asking nursing mothers to donate extra milk.

"Since it posted Monday at 5 p.m. we have had 298 shares" on Facebook, Carolyn Wyllie, spokesperson for the Bronson Healthcare Group, said Wednesday morning, March 11.

In 2014, the center collected 184,704 ounces of breast milk, which is used in the hospital and distributed to 30 hospitals throughout the country.

"Our mission is to provide donor human milk to premature and sick babies whose mothers are unable to provide their own milk or who have a low supply of milk," said Cindy Duff, Breastfeeding Center and Milk Bank supervisor. "We are currently in the need of additional donors.

"Our donors are the foundation of our milk bank," she added. "The need for donor breast milk is on the rise within the country and around the world."

It's normal for this time of year for donations to drop a bit, Duff said. That drop is combined with a soaring demand, though, as more hospitals need breast milk, not only for babies in their intensive care units, the first priority, but also for babies in mother-baby units.

"More and more hospitals and physicians, who know how important milk is for all babies, are making full use of the breast milk resource," Duff said.

The milk donation process is similar to the process for donating blood -- milk is donated freely by mothers.

In addition to mothers who donate extra milk after their own babies' needs are met, are bereaved donors whose babies have died -- 131 since the milk bank opened in 2006, some of whom donate milk for months, Duff said. "It gives them a feeling of giving back after losing their own babies, and is very helpful for the moms in their grieving process," she said.

Donors are asked to donate a minimum of 200 ounces over the entire period of donation, in the delivery method of their choice.

"Some employees bring us milk every day, but most bring in frozen milk, and some who live a distance from the hospital ship it overnight," Duff said.

The screening process for potential donors is similar to that for blood donors, too, Duff said.

After an initial screening rules out health issues such as possible exposure to communicable diseases, recent tattoos or blood transfusions, smoking or illegal drug use, women are sent a form to complete with pertinent questions about their spouse's or significant others' health.

"It's very thorough," Duff said.

Lab work is done on eligible women, at no cost, and both the mother's and baby's doctors are asked to approve the donation plan.

"Once we review everything, the mom is approved and her donated milk is logged into the bank's data base," Duff said, which tracks its amount and collection date.

Donated milk is pooled and analyzed for fat, protein and lactose.

"Every mom has a different amount of calories in her milk," Duff said, so samples are pooled with a goal of 20-24 calories per ounce.

That milk is bottled, sealed, dated and pasteurized, and random samples are cultured for 48 hours after pasteurization, too, as an additional precaution. In the rare case that a problem is detected, the entire batch is thrown out, Duff said.

When milk is dispensed to other hospitals, the hospitals cover the costs of collection, processing, shipping and storage.

"Very few pass along that cost to babies who get the milk," Duff said. While most insurance companies don't cover the cost of breast milk, many hospitals will absorb the cost, because they know babies who receive breast milk have better outcomes, she said.

"Babies who receive human milk do much, much better," she said, potentially shortening their time in the NICU.

That's why, when supplies are short, the NICU demand is met first at all participating hospitals before milk is made available for babies in the other units or outpatients who need it, Duff said.

Bronson Mothers' Milk Bank is one of only 18 non-profit milk banks in North America, Duff said, and is part of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

"A mother's own milk is the best food for her baby. But when a mother can't provide breast milk, milk from healthy donor mothers is the next best thing," Duff said.

Any woman interested in becoming a donor or physicians who wish to order donor human milk may call the Bronson Mothers' Milk Bank at 269-341-6146. Mothers who need breastfeeding support or education can call the Bronson Breastfeeding Center at 269-341-8849.