At Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas, the majority of our breastmilk donors are moms who produce an abundance of milk . . . more than is needed for their own babies. However, there are also many mothers who donate milk after the tragic death of an infant. In addition to facing tremendous grief, many moms must address how to handle the natural process of lactation. For some bereaved mothers, donating breastmilk to a milk bank can be both consoling and healing.
"Carmen's Tree" is located in the entrance of Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas. Each leaf honors a mother who donated milk after the death of an infant.
Last week, the International Breastfeeding Journal published a report from Australia about breastmilk donation after neonatal death. It's findings show that "lactation and breast milk can hold great value and meaning for grieving mothers who have experienced a recent death of an infant". Instead of discarding breastmilk, many moms find comfort in donating to a milk bank, knowing they will help babies in need.
A year ago, the Mercy Hospital for Women in Melbourne hosted Australia's first National Stakeholder Meeting to evaluate the topic. Representatives from Australian milk banks, NICUs and parent support organizations all contributed to the report. Seven dominant themes were discussed and evaluated by twelve stakeholders:
- the spectrum of women’s lactation and donation experiences after infant death
- the roles of milk banks and NICUs in meeting the needs of bereaved parents
- how bereaved mothers’ lactation autonomy may interface with a milk bank's donation guidelines
- how milk donation may be discussed with bereaved mothers
- the variation between four categories of milk donation after neonatal death
- the impact of limited resources
- the limited number of Australian milk banks that provide programs for bereaved mothers
A freezer full of donor milk
Now, a year later, the comprehensive report addresses these themes and issues such as caring for a bereaved donor, respecting the individuality of each grieving mother, and providing appropriate and sensitive support. Studies such as this can help milk banks worldwide evaluate the latest research and improve procedures related to bereaved milk donors.
To read the report and access a PDF of the study, click here.
To learn more about Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas and how to become a donor, click here.