Alicante hospital’s mothers’ milk bank reaches 200 donors

ALICANTE general hospital has been running a mothers’ milk bank, based at its transfusion centre, for the past two years.

There are only two other such milk banks in the region at La Fe hospital in Valencia, and at Castellon’s general hospital. During this period, the Alicante hospital has acquired 205 donors from across the province, which represents a spectacular response from mothers’ said paediatrician Veronica Escario, who is the milk bank’s coordinator in Alicante.

He added: "‘This has been achieved thanks to teamwork."

In this sense, the paediatrics service as a whole has made a special effort.

In the hospital itself there are three paediatricians, a nurse and three auxiliary nursing technicians who collaborate directly. Health centres in the area have helped to spread the word, via midwife's visits and during paediatrician visits.

The aim is for more mothers to donate their milk to highrisk new-borns and premature babies.

So far, the milk donated during this time has fed 226 babies who were in intensive care units throughout Alicante province. To be a milk donor, mothers must request an interview via email or phone.

During the visit, mothers are checked to see if they are suitable donors and blood tests are carried out to rule out inteurization fections that could be transmitted through the milk.

The correct way to extract and preserve the milk is explained and material is provided to store it.

The recruitment process also involves an exhaustive follow-up of the mother to address her doubts, avoid possible contamination, etc. In Alicante province, the first donation is made at the Alicante general hospital and for subsequent donations, Alicante transfusion centre collects milk at home in when mothers live within a 30 km. radius of the hospital.

This method accounts for roughly 90% of all donations, these are then sent to the transfusion centre in Valencia were the milk is processed and pasand safety controls are carried out to ensure that it is a safe biological product.

Once the milk has undergone all the necessary procedures, it is administered under medical prescription to new-borns in Alicante hospital’s neonatal ICU units, as well as those of Elche and San Juan hospitals.

Certain criteria needs to be met: babies have to be under 32 weeks or weigh less than kilo and a half; with a digestive pathology or feeding problems, such as intolerance to cow's milk; that have been operated on; suffer hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) at birth and who need treatment for active hypothermia, amongst other requirements. Breast milk is the best food for all infants and has the optimal nutrients for premature new-borns or those suffering from certain diseases. Therefore, 'it is important to start breastfeeding early, but in these circumstances the mother suffers stress and the production of milk is delayed, so donation is the best alternative until breast milk is available,' explained Dr. Escario

“It has been proven that breast milk protects against diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious pathology in new-borns." he said.

"At Alicante general hospital, cases have decreased dramatically and it has virtually been eradicated thanks to the work being done in this regard."