One of the best medical resources for critically ill babies in hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICU) is breastmilk. This naturally-produced, scarce resource is known to prevent infection and make weak babies stronger, helping them thrive or get strong enough for a much-needed surgical procedure.
Additionally, donor human milk is imperative for premature or sick babies, who are at 10 times the risk for intestinal infections if they are fed formula instead of human milk. Human breastmilk fights devastating diseases and provides important nutrition, growth hormones, and antibodies babies need in order to develop and thrive. Mothers who deliver premature babies are encouraged to pump their milk for their baby, but sometimes these moms are unable to do so. This is when the Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas steps in and helps families in need.
Doctors will prescribe donor human milk for babies in the NICU. If mom is currently unable to produce milk for her baby, then milk will be dispensed from a local milk bank.
Milk banks, such as The Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, carefully screen donors to make sure they are able to provide uncontaminated milk. Once cleared, the nursing donor mom donates her milk for pasteurization and analysis of its nutritional content. The milk dispensed from the milk bank to the hospital is formulated to meet the specific needs of a specific sick baby. The milk dispenses milk primarily to premature and ill infants who are at a higher risk of health complications.
Giving milk is always a generous act. If you’re a nursing mom with a baby under the age of one year old, then consider donating your overflow of “extra” milk to a baby in need.