Donor Milk

Exclusive breast milk feeding for the first six months is the optimal way to meet the nutritional needs of your baby.  The World Health Organization, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology are a few of the many organizations that promote the goal of exclusive breast milk feedings.

A mother's own milk is always preferred, however there are often circumstances that make this difficult. Pasteurized donor milk may be the best option to meet your baby's nutritional needs. If your baby requires additional feedings, Milford Regional Medical Center is able to offer your baby human milk.

Here is some helpful information about donor milk.  If you have additional questions, please call our lactation consultants at 508-422-2960.

What are the benefits of breast milk?
Human milk is easy to digest and contains a unique, powerful combination of nutrients, antibodies, and other components critical for babies' health, growth and development.  Donor milk has been used in neonatal intensive care units for many years for premature and medically fragile infants.

What is donor milk?
Pasteurized or heat treated human milk is donated and carefully processed by a certified human milk bank.  It is the only type of donor milk used by health care facilities.

Is pasteurized human milk safe?
Mothers who donate milk are carefully screened.  The milk is pasteurized (a very gentle, controlled heating process that kills any viruses and bacteria). The milk is then shipped frozen to hospitals.  No infant has ever been harmed by pasteurized donor human milk.

Breast milk substitutes (formula) are also available if mother's milk is not available.  However, breast milk substitutes do not offer the same protective factors found in human milk.