The milk banks receive approximately 1000 litres of expressed milk annually, which helps over 500 neonates in the NICU
Fernandez Hospital inaugurated the third human milk bank at its Bogulkunta in-patient facility. They started its first human milk bank in 2007. The milk banks receive approximately 1000 litres of expressed milk annually, which helps over 500 neonates in the NICU.
Dr Pramod G, CEO, Fernandez Foundation, said, “It gives us immense pleasure to announce the inauguration of our third human milk bank. At Fernandez, we are committed to breastfeeding and ensure that every newborn is on mother’s milk. The milk bank services are offered free of cost at our units. We firmly believe that every Neonatal Intensive Care Unit should be equipped with human milk banking facility.
Dr Tejo Pratap, HOD, Neonatology, said, “Some mothers face challenges in establishing and maintaining an adequate supply of milk. Our quality improvement initiative studies have shown that comprehensive breastfeeding care services, which includes educating the mother, supporting them for milk expression, and facilitating mother-infant interaction through Kangaroo Mother Care and other family-centred care initiatives, help improve and sustain milk output. Human milk banks are vital for coordinating and providing comprehensive breastfeeding services.”
Human milk banks at Fernandez receive milk from donor mothers with excessive milk production after meeting the needs of their own babies and having undergone careful screening for underlying health conditions. Expressed milk is then refrigerated in special containers. This milk is then pasteurised, screened for infections, and stored in a deep freezer. When the need arises, the frozen milk is thawed and fed to a newborn.