More than 10000 babies benefited from milk center in city
As part of initiatives to promote
breastfeeding, four hospitals in the city are running human milk bank,
which store milk from healthy mothers to be used later to feed babies
who are not able to get the same.
The milk center, started by Dr Armida Fernandez, is Asia’s first Human Milk Bank.
The milk center is operating in four main hospitals, namely JJ Hospital, Cama, KEM and Sion Hospital.
These centers provide milk to 10 to 20 premature and sick babies everyday.
The milk donors are generally mothers who have surplus milk or give birth to stillborn infants.
Medical tests are first conducted to exclude donors with HIV or AIDS.
The milk is expressed with a suction machine and then transferred to storage containers.
Each pool (three to five donors) of milk is thoroughly mixed. Then, six-ounce glass bottles are filled with the milk prior to pasteurization.
The milk is pasteurized at 65°C for 30 minutes and then frozen at minus 20°C.
It can last up to six months and is a boon for sick and abandoned babies.
About 12,000 babies are born in these hospitals every year and mothers agree to donate breast milk after intensive counseling.
“The centre has helped more than 10,000 babies now since its inception. We store about 600 to 800 mililitre milk in each centre and the babies who require the milk are provided with the same until six months,” said Dr Rajshri Katke, a gynaecologist at the Cama Hospital.
The milk center, started by Dr Armida Fernandez, is Asia’s first Human Milk Bank.
The milk center is operating in four main hospitals, namely JJ Hospital, Cama, KEM and Sion Hospital.
These centers provide milk to 10 to 20 premature and sick babies everyday.
The milk donors are generally mothers who have surplus milk or give birth to stillborn infants.
Medical tests are first conducted to exclude donors with HIV or AIDS.
The milk is expressed with a suction machine and then transferred to storage containers.
Each pool (three to five donors) of milk is thoroughly mixed. Then, six-ounce glass bottles are filled with the milk prior to pasteurization.
The milk is pasteurized at 65°C for 30 minutes and then frozen at minus 20°C.
It can last up to six months and is a boon for sick and abandoned babies.
About 12,000 babies are born in these hospitals every year and mothers agree to donate breast milk after intensive counseling.
“The centre has helped more than 10,000 babies now since its inception. We store about 600 to 800 mililitre milk in each centre and the babies who require the milk are provided with the same until six months,” said Dr Rajshri Katke, a gynaecologist at the Cama Hospital.
Reference Link
http://www.asianage.com/mumbai/more-10000-babies-benefited-milk-centre-city-680
No comments:
Post a Comment