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First Mothers' Milk Depot Opens in Milwaukee

John Moore/Getty Images

The city of Milwaukee’s first mothers’ milk depot opens with plans to help premature infants.

Blood drives are a common occurrence these days. A variety of organizations exist to solicit and help distribute blood to hospitalized patients in need of a transfusion.

But for newborn, premature infants, another need often exists, and it is often more challenging to fill it. The organizers of Milwaukee's first breast milk depot are hopeful that it will make a difference in improving the health of an extremely vulnerable population.

Jenni Strait is a lactation consultant for Columbia-St. Mary's Hospital, which opened the Mother's Milk Depot earlier this year in conjunction with the Mothers Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes. Ashley Schultz was the first woman to donate breast milk to the depot. She and fellow donor Leanne Fazzari, along with Jenni Strait, joined Lake Effect's Mitch Teich in the studio.