NICU Milk Technician

Michelle is a milk preparation technician in the NICU at Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City. Her job is to prepare feedings for NICU babies, including using human donor milk. Saint Luke’s was the first in Kansas City to implement the use of human donor milk in a NICU.

Many new parents can’t yet produce enough milk to feed their babies at birth, so alternatives are used such as human donor milk. Michelle works with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America to ensure our NICU is fully stocked. The milk she uses undergoes a very rigorous screening process.

Human milk is a great source of minerals, proteins, and fat for newborns. It contains many nutrients to support the baby’s immune system and brain development, which is especially important for NICU babies.