Okay, I understand what these are (mostly anyway) but I'm confused about one aspect. One of the reasons breast milk is the best option and preferred over formula, and why children can be nursed into toddlerhood is because the milk is dynamic and chances as the baby gets older, sometimes even changing on an hourly and daily basis. If I'm wrong on this, someone please tell me. So, if this is the case, milk banking and donor milk don't take advantage of that, right? If I were to pump to build a reserve for my baby, the expressed milk that he would drink would be say, 2 months old. Even though it is still perfectly fine for my baby to drink, it wouldn't be the same as fresh milk. What about donor milk from a mother with a toddler being fed to a newborn? Can you guys clarify this for me? Thanks! Most milk banks only accept milk from a mother with a baby under 1 year of age. Mothers must also be non-smoking, healthy and pass a screening test from their doctor. Donated breast milk is combined with the milk of several other donors, pasturized, and tested for bacteria and viruses before it is frozen and distributed.
The WHO states that if breast milk from a baby's own mother is not available, banked breast milk is the next best alternative. It is still much closer to the mother's own breast milk than formula and still offers some immunological properties and excellent nutrition. Banked milk is usually only given to babies most at need, as it is often in short supply. Conditions where banked milk might be needed are: formula intolerance, allergies, serious medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS, etc.., In these cases, breast milk provides crucial nutritional benefits, even if not from a baby's own mother.
Human Milk Banking Association of North America
http://www.hmbana.org/ As far as I know your assumptions are correct. The milk changed based on your baby personally, so I guess they would have to stock the milk based on baby age? And go about it that way?
I don't particularly understand, but I'm not a parent, so these subjects aren't quite as important to me.
I figure if they're basing the milk by baby age, they can give milk to mother's with 2 month old babies and have it be effective for them, and them only. The same would go for a toddler- give it the milk expressed from the mother of a toddler. While what you say is true, given the choice between formula and breastmilk, the breastmilk is still a better bet and more easily digested.
BTW, the milk used at milk banks is usually for children who are unable to drink formula, not just parents who prefer breastmilk. Not enough to go around. |
