BATON ROUGE — During World Breastfeeding Week, the vital role of infant nutrition is highlighted at mothers' milk banks all over the country. There's one in Louisiana, and mothers can donate at Ochsner Baton Rouge 

Mothers donate at the depot in Baton Rouge, and the milk is sent to New Orleans to the Mothers' Milk Bank of Louisiana at Ochsner Baptist. It is the only accredited milk bank in the entire state.

The milk bank at Ochsner in New Orleans officially opened as an accredited facility in 2018. It serves 75% of the neonatal intensive care unit beds in the state, outpatient families and neighboring areas including Mississippi.

Jessica Evins, Ochsner Women's Services Quality Coordinator, said the bank has grown to meet local demand. "When we first started, we were able to reach out to some neighboring states and get milk. But, you know, to be able to meet our own needs was incredible," Evins said.

One of the key benefits of human milk is its ability to be customized for individual babies. Evins explained that when mothers visit their babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, they get exposed to that environment and can make milk tailored specifically for their child.

"We encourage everybody to breastfeed. The science is there to support it, evidence-based, you know and what we're looking at really is that human milk is made of human protein and that is easier for human bellies to digest," Evins said. "So we don't want anyone to feel guilty if breastfeeding doesn't work. We have alternatives, but it is easier for the baby's belly to break down human milk."

Evins also pointed to immune system benefits, noting that when a mother is exposed to something in public, her body creates antibodies that can be passed through her milk, while a baby's immune system cannot do the same on its own.

During World Breastfeeding Week, Evins is calling on the public to reduce the stigma around breastfeeding in public. "If we see a mom who is in public, like, it could be that she can't get her baby to take a bottle. She can't get her baby to latch on any other way. And so it took a lot to get there. A lot of sleepless nights, a lot of tears," Evins said. "And so whatever we can do to reduce the stigma and have her feel comfortable doing that for her baby is great."

Evins said the benefits of breastfeeding extend beyond the individual family.

"We know that it helps with bonding and reduces infections and it can help reduce cancer risks for moms as a society. It just helps people be healthier. And so we have fewer people calling in sick and less turnover at work. So it's really one of those things. That's why it's a public health issue, not just a momma issue, not just a baby issue." 

Find details on how to donate to the milk bank here.