Donor milk support goes up at Rajaji hospital
This is a considerable rise from last year when a total of 3,821 mothers donated.
The department of neonatology, which deals with care for newborns, particularly premature infants, in GRH is the largest in the state. Head of the department, Dr J Ashok Raja, said 15 to 20% of the newborns have a condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). "During the first week of life, the baby starts vomiting, and it is harmful to the body," he said.
"Breast milk is the best preventive measure for NEC." He added that there are biological components in breast milk that have growth factors for the newborn that formula milk can't match.
Babies born in less than 32 weeks or weighing less than 1.5kg are the most important candidates for receiving breast milk.
Doctors emphasise six months of exclusive breastfeeding for the newborn. "Breast milk contains 60% water, so there is no need for water too," Dr Nandini Kuppusamy, HOD of paediatrics, said.
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It is crucial for brain development and also prevents respiratory and diarrhoeal diseases. Dr Ashok said gripe water is not recommended for newborns as it contains preservatives banned in some European countries.
Breast milk donation starts with a screening of the mother for active diseases like HIV or transmissible infections. This is followed by counselling and collection of consent. The milk collected is sent to storage, and from there to pasteurisation and to the microbiological lab.
After ensuring the milk is fit, it is distributed to newborns in need.
Donor milk is especially given to premature newborns within the hospital for whom breast milk is crucial. Some mothers who are unable to breastfeed their child or those who have nipple soreness also use stored milk for their child. Most mothers who come to donate breast milk are doing so out of gratitude, says Ashok. "They may have a premature firstborn, after which they return to donate breast milk," he said.
Other factors that influence mothers to donate are education and awareness, he said.
Two mothers, Sivapriya R, 31, and Mutheeswari K, 29, were honoured for donating a total of 6.5 litres of breast milk in the last 20 days by dean Dr L Arul Sundaresh Kumar at a valedictory ceremony on Thursday on account of World Breastfeeding Week.
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