How would you ensure your baby’s health as well as safety? When it comes to newborns, breastfeeding is one of the effective ways to secure it. But not all mothers are blessed with sufficient breast milk. Some of them are not even capable of giving any drops of it. This is where breast milk donating (or breast milk donation) comes into the picture.
As a mother and parent, it is very important to ensure that your baby would always be ready to fight any types of disease or threat. Viruses are just waiting for their chances to attack. To avoid this, breast milk or breastfeeding will take great part in maintaining your baby’s healthy body.
Importance of Breast Milk Donating
Why do you think breast milk donation is important? For mothers who have sufficient breast milk, issues regarding milk sources and health conditions will not be a big deal. But for those moms who are troubled and worried of having insufficient milk and unhealthy baby, this problem is very serious. Nutrients and other substances needed by your baby can be found in mothers’ breast milk. Unfortunately, baby formula cannot replace the beneficial properties of good old fashioned breast milk.
The Process of Donation
For those mothers who have excess milk and those mothers who are in need of it, the process of breast milk donating might seem scary, but it isn’t. The steps are fairly simple:
- Participation of mothers who have excess breast milk must first ensure that their own baby or babies have been fully fed before deciding to donate breast milk.
- When a mother decides to donate breast milk, the next procedure is to apply through an authorized and recognized breast milk donation center. After the donor’s application is processed, the donor applicant will receive confirmation within one or two weeks.
- Through donor screening, a facility will decide whether or not you are a good fit. At this point the donor’s blood will be tested to get vital blood information such as profile of DNA identity. This is all a necessary step to ensure the milk’s safety.
- Delivery. The last part of donation process is its delivery. When the applicant donor is identified as healthy and qualified, notification will be sent to both the donor and the recipient.
Various Perspectives on Breast Milk Donation
Donor’s Perspective
Donors are the suppliers in milk bank. The need of breast milk is highly needed in varied countries and in various families dwelling in the land. To meet this type of exceptional need, milk bank existed. Mothers who need breast milk for babies will be guaranteed of hundred percent safety because every breast milk donor have undergone intensive screening.
Parent’s Perspective
For every parent, optimal condition of baby’s health will be the primary concern. Whenever baby’s mother is lacking of breast milk source, pasteurized breast milk of donor will take great part in maintaining baby’s health. Donor milk is the best solution in providing enough breast milk resource. Aside from that, medication and other medical issues will be avoided. In terms of safety, donor breast milk is tried and proven to be very safe. This is assured through careful screening.
Health Professionals
Health care professionals are always welcome to clarify some facts or information about donor breast milk. Some of the vital facts about it include the following:
- Donor breast milk have been widely used increasingly by intensive care units (neonatal). Its utilization reaches 42.5 percent in 22011 compared to its utilization rate in 2007, which is about 11.5 percent.
- In every year, average bank of milk is able to process as well as distribute about $150 000 milk ounces each year.
- There are studies suggesting that utilization of donor milk will be able to reduce (about 80%) NEC risk.
News on Breast Milk Donation
To comply with babies breast milk needs, a non-profit organization in Pennsylvania have funded Three Rivers Mother’s Milk Bank that will be opened in later summer or in early fall. This the first milk bank to be set in the country.
Denise O’Conner, the founder as well as president of the said organization have been interested in milk bank concept. The said bank will be providing breast milk to the sickest babies in Pennsylvania as well as West Virginia’s intensive care units (neonatal). Also, the organization will be building out laboratories, classroom spaces, offices and many more for milk bank’s facilities. Donors willingly cooperate and contact the organization to talk about milk donation. To ensure milk safety, donor applicants undergo intensive screening.
Babies are truly angels, gift given in each family. This is why securing their health and safety becomes the top most priority of each parent. Breast milk is very essential for them. The major problems that may arise is when mothers have insufficient supply of it. In this, milk banks (through breast milk donating) is one of the major effective solutions.