Affiliated to the Kerala University of Health Sciences
In a welcome development, the human breast milk bank set up at Thrissur govt medical college is receiving good response both from the donors and mothers of receptor babies. As per data from neonatologists there, 1,444 mothers donated their surplus breast milk to the bank after it was set up in Sept last year. The bank collected over 17 lakh ml of breast milk and provided safe human milk to 1,670 newborns, including babies of undernourished mothers from tribal areas like Attappadi, said Dr Febi Francis, in charge of the facility. Pre-term, underweight and babies of mothers who face milk shortage or of mothers having health issues, and babies who lost their mothers soon after delivery, are potential receptors of breast milk from the bank.
Lactating mothers who have surplus breast milk, women whose newborns are admitted to neonatal wards for treatment and mothers who have lost babies soon after delivery can donate breast milk, doctors said. Emphasizing that breast milk is the most easily digestible nutritious food for newborns, doctors said it also strengthens the immune system of babies and supports intellectual growth. According to neonatologists at the bank, they can stock the breast milk for up to six months, though each batch of stock gets exhausted usually within a month.
Courtesy : Times of India
