Human Milk Banking

Would you like to know:

How do I become a milk donor?
How do I order human donor milk?
What is a donor milk bank?
How does a donor milk bank operate?
Where is the donor milk used?
Why use donor milk?

"Experts recommend breastfeeding exclusively for six months and the introduction of age appropriate foods with breastmilk to remain in the diet for two years and beyone. When maternal milk is inadequate or lacking particularly for high risk or premature infants pasateurized donor milk is the best option. Donor milk banking plays an important role in meeting these recommendations. "

The above excerpt is taken from the Human Milk Banking of North America website. Please follow the link below for their website.



http://www.aabreastfeeding.com/My%20Favorite%20Links/my-favorite-links.htm

URGENT CALL FOR HUMAN MILK DONATIONS FOR HAITI INFANTS

January 25th, 2010 - A Call for Action

URGENT CALL FOR HUMAN MILK DONATIONS FOR HAITI INFANTS
The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), United States
Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), International Lactation Consultant Association/United States
Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA/USLCA), and La Leche League International (LLLI)
are jointly issuing an urgent call for human milk donations for premature infants in Haiti, as well
as sick and premature infants in the United States.

This week the first shipment of human milk from mothers in the United States will be shipped to
the U.S. Navy Ship “Comfort” stationed outside Haiti. “Comfort” is currently set up with a
neonatal intensive care unit and medical personnel to provide urgent care to victims of the
earthquake. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant stationed at the U.S. Navy
base in Bethesda, MD is assisting with providing breast pump equipment and supplies to the
“Comfort.” Dr. Erika Beard-Irvine, pediatric neonatologist, is on board the “Comfort” to
coordinate distribution of the milk to infants in need. HMBANA, USBC, ILCA/USLCA, and
LLL are responding to requests to provide milk for both premature infants and at-risk mothers
who have recently delivered babies on board the U.S.N.S. Comfort, but an urgent need exists for
additional donations.

At the current time, the infrastructure to deliver human milk on land to Haiti infants has not yet
been established. As soon as that infrastructure is in place, additional donations will be provided
to older infants.
Mothers who are willing to donate human milk should contact their regional Mothers’ Milk Bank
of HMBANA.

A list of regional milk banks is available at the HMBANA website at
www.hmbana.org.
Currently milk banks are already low on donor milk. New milk donations will be used for both
Haiti victims as well as to replenish donor supplies to continue to serve sick and premature
infants in the U.S. Donor milk provides unique protection for fragile preterm infants. Financial
donations are also strongly encouraged to allow HMBANA, a nonprofit organization, to continue
serving infants in need.

UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Emergency Nutrition Network, and medical
professionals all recommend that breastfeeding and human milk be used for infants in disasters
or emergencies. Human milk is life-saving due to its disease prevention properties. It is safe,
clean, and does not depend on water which is often unavailable or contaminated in an
emergency. Relief workers, health care providers, and other volunteers are urged to provide
support for breastfeeding mothers to enable them to continue breastfeeding, and to assist
pregnant and postpartum women in initiating and sustaining breastfeeding.

For more information, contact HMBANA at 408-998-4550 or www.hmbana.org. Additional
information can be provided from the United States Breastfeeding Committee at 202-367-1132
(www.usbreastfeeding.org), ILCA/USLCA at 1-800-452-2478 (www.ilca.org or
www.uslca.org), or La Leche League at 847-519-7730 (www.llli.org).

Human milk and the premature baby

Premature babies arrive earlier than the expected 38 weeks gestation. Thanks to medical advances, babies weighing slightly less than 2 pounds are more likely to survive today.

However, because a premature baby's organs are often not fully developed, they are at a greater risk for health complications such as breathing issues, infection, anemia, and low blood pressure. Breast milk, though, has been shown to play a crucial role in improving the health of premature infants.

Most premature babies won’t be able to breastfeed initially because they aren’t strong enough and their sucking-swallowing coordination is not yet developed. Also, because the gastrointestinal tract of many premature babies is often not yet fully developed, they must be fed very slowly and carefully, usually through a tube that is placed through the mouth directly into the stomach. But that doesn’t mean that these babies shouldn’t receive breast milk. In fact, breast milk contains many important antibodies that help fight disease and prevent infection, a benefit crucial to vulnerable preemies. Breast milk also contains proteins that promote growth, helping preemies grow at a faster rate than full-term babies.

Another benefit of breast milk is that it plays an important role in preventing problems specific to preemies. An important area of study has been the protective effects of breast milk against necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious intestinal infection. One study showed that infants who received artificial milk had 6-10 times increased risk for NEC than infants fed breast milk. Other studies revealed premature infants fed breast milk were at a significantly decreased risk of any kind of infection—including the potentially devastating infectious condition called meningitis.

I have also mentioned in a previous blog post that amazingly enough, mother's own milk is designed specifically for the age of the baby. Milk for a 20 week old preemie will be different than the milk for a 26 week old preemie as the milk produced has varying degrees of protein, lipids, fatty acids, calcium, vitamins and other important nutrients vital to the developing baby.

While I don't know how our bodies know to produce milk that is meant for our babies age, it just does. This further supports the need for babies to receive their own mothers milk as it is specially designed for them.

While mothers of premature babies naturally produce milk tailored to the needs of their small offspring, preemie breast milk may also be fortified with supplements called “human milk fortifiers” to provide additional needed calcium, vitamins, and protein. Clinical evidence has shown that preemies who received fortified breast milk experienced improved growth and a better nutritional status.

Next post we will talk more specifically about some helpful hints for mothers who are pumping exclusively for their premature babies.

The Benefits of Human Milk for your preterm baby

Human Milk - Mothers Milk - Breastmilk - Goes by many names and I would love to share with you some of the amazing benefits human milk offers the premature baby.

Large protein molecules called Immunoglobulins are in breastmilk the whole time you breastfeed. They are in a highly concentrated form in the colostrum, which is the milk you make for the first several days after birth. Immunoglobulins are also called antibodies and these provide numerous health benefits for your baby.

When moms are on the fence about whether to breastfeed or not, I strongly encourage them to breastfeed for the first several days so they can give their baby the benefit of colostrum, a health benefit that they can not get anywhere else from any other liquid food. It is always lovely for me to see that the mothers who were unsure of breastfeeding initially, begin to enjoy it so much that they continue far beyond the first few days.


Human milk is important for the optimal growth and development of full-term babies, but it is even more important for babies born prematurely. If your baby is preterm, his stomach and intestines (which the NICU staff will refer to as his gastrointestinal tract, GI tract, or gut) are even smaller and less mature than the tiny, immature gut of a full-term baby.

If your NICU baby is premature, your milk will be different for the first few weeks than the breast milk of a mother who gives birth at term. Your body knows that your baby came early, and it provides milk that is better for the baby's needs. For the first 2 to 4 weeks after birth your milk will contain more protein, fat calories, and calcium phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, sodium, and chloride that full-term milk. This early milk also has a laxative effect on your baby's bowels, helping him to pas the first stools (called meconium). Stooling is an important sign the GI tract is working: it also helps resolved jaundice.

Nurses notice that babies fed their mother's milk tolerate feedings well because human milk is easy to digest, with very little left over in the baby's stomach.

Brain growth and development are rapid in the final 3 months of gestation. During the latter part of pregnancy, the fetal brain more than doubles in size and weight, and nearly doubles again in the first year of life and well into the second year. Several studies have suggested that breastfeeding improves mental development. In fact, greater amounts of breast milk intake (compared with formula) have been correlated with higher developmental outcome among the smallest preterm babies.


If your baby is not able to breastfeed, you can still provide milk for your baby by pumping. While this may seem like a lot of work, it can be made easier when you work with a lactation consultant who can provide you with an individualized care plan that works for you. Your lactation consultant will provide you with all the details needed for you to succeed with breastmilk pumping.

You will begin to see your premature baby gain weight and flourish with all the health benefits of your milk. Pretty soon your baby will be able to directly breastfeed. If you find this transition from pumping to breastfeeding, please enlist the help of an IBCLC who is well prepared to help you succeed.

More information on premature babies and human milk in the next entry.

Lori

Swine flu information for breastfeeding mothers and pregnant woman

I have been receiving phone calls with questions regarding swine flu and breastfeeding. Having this information available on the blog is an easy source of reference for me and one for you to share with your friends as well. I am posting the links so you can read both articles.

Below is a link to an article stating that Breastfeeding should continue during swine flu outbreak. This was posted May 1, 2009 and sent to all members of ILCA - International Lactation Consultants Association. The article quotes the CDC which states that "although the risk of transmitting swine flu influenza from mother to baby is unknown, reports of seasonal flu are rare." Please read the below article for more details.

http://www.ilca.org/files/in_the_news/press_room/2009-04-28_PressRelease_SwineFlu.pdf


Here is another article by the CDC dated May 1, 2009, which discusses breastfeeding considerations for the breastfeeding mother. Many mothers have concerns about themselves becoming sick with the flu and passing this on to their baby. If a mother gets sick it is recommended that she continue breastfeeding her baby as this provides important nutrients and human antibodies that are very crucial to her babies health. If she is not able to directly breasfeed her baby, it is highly recommended that she pump and offer her milk to baby from a bottle.
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/clinician_pregnant.htm



Take care and be well. Lori