Donor milk
Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby, and the best breast milk
is yours. However, if you are unable to provide your baby with breast milk,
donated milk can be obtained from a local hospital or milk bank.
If your baby was born prematurely or is sick, he may need to be cared
for in the hospital until he is strong enough to go home. Learn more about what
is in breast milk.
Breastmilk while your baby is in the hospital can shorten the hospital
stay and prevent infections. Breast milk also helps your baby's immune system
fight off bacteria and viruses while providing better nutrition for development
and growth. Moreover, babies who are breastfed while in the hospital may return
home earlier than babies who are formula fed.
Your child can continue to drink donor milk even after discharge from
the hospital. However, donor milk is in short supply in many regions, and the
most vulnerable children are prioritized. To receive donor milk, you will need
a prescription from your pediatrician.
Is donor milk safe?
Donated breast milk is very safe; it comes from mothers who have
expressed more milk than their own babies can eat. Before mothers can give
milk, they are tested for any diseases that can be transmitted through their
breast milk. Each container of milk is also tested for harmful bacteria.
The donated milk is then pasteurized to kill any infectious organisms that may be present in the milk. A small percentage of the nutritional and immunological properties are destroyed during pasteurization, but pasteurized milk retains many of its beneficial properties. It has tremendous special properties that cannot be replicated by commercial formula milks.