Should I donate my breast milk
All babies can benefit from the nourishment in breast milk, but in babies born premature, before the 37th week of pregnancy , the benefit can be much more pronounced. These tiny infants can substantially benefit from human milk’s rich nutrients and disease-fighting protection. Breast milk is also beneficial for babies with failure to thrive, babies who cannot digest formula, and babies with allergies.
While it is best for a mother to nurse her own baby, this is sometimes not possible. Some circumstances where a mother may not be able to nurse her own child are:
- Adoption of children
- Limited milk production
- Milk production not rapid enough
- Instances where the mother is seriously injured or ill.
“Should I donate my breast milk” is a personal question that many mothers ask themselves and go on to donate their extra breast milk. Some contribute because they see their own baby thriving and want to provide the same opportunity for children not as fortunate as their own. Other mothers donate because they are aware of the tremendous benefits of breast milk and want to support the growth and long-term health of premature or sick infants.
Human breast milk is ideal for infants because it is a complex fluid containing more than a hundred thousand different elements specialized to support human growth, development and long-term health. Breast milk also tastes different every time a baby nurses as the mother’s diet flavors the milk production. This is thought to help children be more open to different foods as they continue to grow and mature. To donate breast milk will help many children receive these benefits.
Although cow’s milk has many of the same nutrients as breast milk, but not in the right concentration for a human baby. The nutrients in cow’s milk can also be hard for a human infant to digest and may can cause allergies later in life. These concerns has The American Academy of Pediatrics recommending that mothers avoid giving their infants cow’s milk during the first twelve months after birth.
Infant formula found in your local grocery store provides a similar level of basic nutrition as found in breast milk,but is often missing protective proteins, enzymes and antibodies. At the moment these component of breast milk cannot be reliably artificially synthesized. Another reason it is good to donate breast milk.
Almost any nursing mother can donate breast milk. If you are healthy with a good medical history, you are likely a good candidate. You just have to answer some questions about your health and have your blood tested for any problems or diseases. If you decide to donate you first step should be to discuss your decision with your doctor to make sure it is the right for you.
