Donor human milk
Human milk is the best food for babies, and our teams support every mother to provide milk for her baby. But when a mother’s own milk is not available, donor human milk is often the next best option.
Benefits of donor human milk
Donor human milk:
- has optimal nutrition for babies
- is easy to digest
- shortens the time to fullfeeds
- can protect against infections
- reduces risk of necrotizing enterocolitis, a digestive system emergency
- can shorten your baby’s time in the hospital
- is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than formula
Who gets donor human milk?
Donor human milk is available for babies whose own mothers cannot provide breastmilk or cannot produce enough breastmilk. It is also available for babies who will medically benefit from getting donor human milk.
We use donor milk until there is enough of the mother’s own milk, or until your baby is ready for another source of nutrition.
Where does donor human milk come from?
We receive donor milk from the NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank. This milk bank follows guidelines set by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.
Since human milk is a body fluid, there is a potential risk of organisms or substances being passed through the milk. For safety, mothers who donate their milk must pass strict medical, dietary and lifestyle screening, like the screening done for blood donations.
After the milk that is donated, it is pasteurized (heat-treated) and tested to make sure it is safe to use.
Before your baby gets milk
Before we can give your baby donor milk, a doctor or nurse practitioner will talk to you and answer any questions you may have. If you agree to give your baby donor milk, they will also sign a consent form with you.
In the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we follow steps to make sure your baby gets the right milk. You can ask your baby’s nurse if you have any questions about these steps.
Your colostrum
Even if you are not planning to breastfeed, we encourage you to collect your first milk (called colostrum) for your baby.
Colostrum:
- transfers immune factors to help your baby fight infections
- gives your baby important nutrients (protein, vitamins and minerals)
- is easy to digest
- can be given if your baby is not eating
If you plan to breastfeed
If you plan to breastfeed your baby, our team will:
- give you a hand expression and colostrum collection kit
- show you how use an electric pump
- give you information on how to label your breastmilk
- give you information on how to store breastmilk