South Dakota is one of three states without a breast milk bank. This new nonprofit is trying to fix that

Dec. 27—MITCHELL — Becoming a mother can come with plenty of new challenges, but a pair of Mitchell women are extending helping hands to ease the process.

Grace Brechtel and Tessa Bitterman have teamed up to create a village of resources for expectant mothers and fathers in the Mitchell area. Among the many local nonprofits that aim to help specific populations, they saw a void in available resources for new mothers and fathers who are grappling with the transition into parenthood.

"Needs for maternity and babies are very scarce. Mitchell doesn't really have anything like this for babies and the resources it demands," Brechtel said. "There is also a huge population of low-income mothers who could use any resources available."

From coping with postpartum depression to footing the bill for baby products and food, Bitterman, a 23-year-old mother, said it can be "really overwhelming" providing the best care for a newborn baby. Holding down a full-time job can add more stress and challenges to the process.

Although the "In a Village" organization is in its infancy, the young Mitchell duo have plans to expand in the future.

Bitterman said the goal is to bring the Mitchell area its first breast milk bank. It would serve as a designated location for mothers to donate breast milk, which could then be pasteurized and frozen until it's requested.

"We're working with the national milk bank association to start a breast milk depot and a bank when we get going. I breastfed my kids, and if you do have an oversupply, there is so much that can get thrown away," Bitterman said. "They have a whole process of pasteurizing it and testing it. You screen before you donate as well."

According to Bitterman, South Dakota is one of just three states in the country without a breast milk bank. She said Minnesota is the closest state that has a milk bank, which Brechtel and Bitterman have been working closely with to organize the planned Mitchell bank.

"We've talked to so many moms who have told us they would have donated their milk if they had a place to do so. We've also talked to moms whose babies couldn't drink breast milk, and there was nowhere for it to go," Brechtel said.

The two are running a baby closet, which was formerly overseen by Jodi Reiners, the leader of Mitchell's Caring Closet. Bitterman and Brechtel have been stocking the closet with baby supplies while they search for a new location aimed to expand the In a Village baby closet.

Physical resources aren't the only thing the two are providing for expectant mothers and fathers. If baby blues and postpartum depression are becoming too heavy for new mothers, Bitterman said the organization will aim to be available to talk with moms battling depression after delivering a baby.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 8 women in the U.S. experience symptoms of postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression hits close to home for Bitterman, who dealt with it during her early days of motherhood. While there's no universal cure, Bitterman said "just knowing someone is available to talk to" would have been a big help." However, she noticed there wasn't much of an option.

"I didn't have family there or anything when I was going through it," said Bitterman, who dealt with postpartum depression after giving birth to her first child in Kansas. "I thought, 'Why isn't there somewhere you can just walk in and talk to somebody about it?'"

They hope to provide that somewhere for new mothers grappling with mental health woes.

The pair plan to host community events and help connect new mothers, parents and expecting parents in the area. As Bitterman put it, the events would help new parents "build their village."

"It's so important to have a village when you are raising a baby. We hope to help build those villages," Bitterman said.

The organization's website, inavillage.org, accepts donations in the form of payment and supplies.