Donor Banks for Breast Milk

(Newswire.net — December 18, 2017) Cheyenne, Wyoming — Donating blood is a common appeal from medical establishments. The testing of blood types, storage and dissemination of the hemoglobin rich fluid is a regular activity to facilitate transfusions which saves many lives. Likewise, there are donor banks for breast milk right across the world maintaining the lives of infants in much the same manner. 

“Brazil offers “milk banks” for women who can’t breastfeed, donors pump their milk and store it in glass jars in their freezers,” reports Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). “The jars are picked up by motorcycle messengers and kept in 214 banks around the country, ready for use by mothers who can’t produce enough of their own.” 

The South American country is said to have at least 214 breast milk banks supplying infants in need, particularly those premature babies admitted to neonatal units. Packed with a ton of immune-boosting properties breast milk is the best thing for infants as they strive to strengthen their compromised immune system. 

“Breast milk contains antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory substances that help prevent ailments such as diarrhea, which can be fatal to infants, and to promote long-term health in ways that dairy-based formulas do not,” notes NBC News. “Premature babies given breast milk often avoid dangerous bowel conditions and other illnesses, allowing them to leave neo-natal units sooner.” 

Breast milk donation makes the difference between life and death for so many babies each year in Brazil hence many have been studying their model in order to establish a similarly stable donor network. 

“When a mother is unable to breast feed her baby, due to illness, drug addiction or other problems, the network steps in to offer free milk,” says the Associated Press. “In 2013, Brazil collected milk from some 150,000 women to nourish about 155,000 babies.” 

The benefits to needy infants are incalculable and the joy a mother receives from helping other babies which are as precious as her own is simply invaluable. Having access to breast milk feels like a privilege for those mothers who are not above to do so themselves. 

As with any gift, one should only give the best. It is well advised for donating moms to quickly test their milk supply prior to expressing if they’ve recently had a meal prepared with alcohol or a sip of a drink. The HealthyWiser™ PureMilk™ breast milk analysis kit allows a nursing mom to test if any remnant of alcohol is detectable in her milk and informs of the wait time needed in order to safely pump and donate.