The regional hospital center of Orleans, in Loiret, launches an appeal for the donation of breast milk, informed Le Parisien and confirmed to BFMTV.com. Its lactarium, its center for collecting, analyzing, processing and distributing human milk, welcomes “fewer and fewer donors,” laments Farida Dahri-Mobarek, the structure’s health manager.
Breast milk is “extremely beneficial for the health and development of the most vulnerable newborns,” but sometimes the mothers of these babies do not produce milk, or not enough, explains the French breastfeeding association on its site. In premature babies, breast milk “favors the development of the digestive tract” and “the body’s defense against infections,” according to the same source.
“It thus contributes to preventing some specific and potentially serious complications related to prematurity (infections, ulcerative-necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy),” adds the association. Today, human milk has additional benefits compared to formula milk for children with low birth weight, according to the High Health Authority. That’s why milk donations are very important for these babies: “they really save lives,” says Farida Dahri-Mobarek.
Needs three times more donations
But since 2021, the Orleans lactary reserves are “much less full” than before, observes Farida Dahri-Mobarek. “Organ and blood donations have more visibility” and lactating women “find it very difficult to make milk donation known,” she believes.
“Moms don’t know that they can donate, they don’t know,” adds this children’s health executive.
Farida Dahri-Mobarek estimates that the lactarium would need to triple its reserves. “And if we had more, we could supply other lactators,” she explains.
how to make a donation?
Women who have excess breast milk can express and freeze it while waiting for it to be collected by a lactator. To donate it, you must contact a lactator who will detail the procedure to the donor, send the appropriate material (sterilized bottles or breast pumps if necessary) and send professionals to collect the milk from the donor’s home. Contraindications for donation can be seen here.
To contact the lactary of the CHR d’Orléans:
Telephone: 02.38.74.41.81
Email: [email protected]
Open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
To consult the map of milk banks in France, click here
Source: BFM TV
