Donor mother flourish, boom in breast milk banks in Hyderabad | Hyderabad News

HYDERABAD: Five years after Telangana got its first breast milk bank – set up at Niloufer Hospital – six more have recently sprung up in the state with another four in the offing. Of these, five are in Hyderabad and have been collectively adding 12 to 15 litres to the bank every day.
Given the wide demand-supply gap, public health experts term this as a step in the right direction as milk banks are becoming synonymous with preterm care.

“Any good neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will see a human milk bank as an essential service now because it is the next best choice after a mother’s own milk. If preterm babies are given anything else or even formula, the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis (serious gastrointestinal problem) is very high,” said Dr Dinesh Kumar Chirla, director, intensive care service, Rainbow Hospital. The milk at the facility provides 104 litres of breast milk every month to babies admitted at its branches.
These milk banks – majority of which have come up in the past one year – chip in when the supply is low and also help the state restrict its infant mortality rate.
“Every time a child is admitted in NICU of Niloufer Hospital from other hospitals in the state, the mother may not be able to accompany the child. Even if she can, she may not have sufficient milk. In such cases, human milk donation comes to the rescue,” said Dr Santosh Karleti, founder director, Dhaatri Mothers Milk Bank.
At present, the state-run hospital, which treats 150 to 200 premature babies every month requires about 10 litres milks a day – every child needs 50ml to 100ml milk. “With the milk bank we are able to supply six to seven litres as of now and hope to meet the full requirement soon,” he added. The hospital has attended to around 34,000 babies in past five years with donated milk.
Hospitals say the banks have encouraged breastfeeding among lactating mothers, and they come with lactation experts and consultants who were not part of the workforce earlier.
“Most of our donations come from mothers of admitted babies or those coming for OP visits. That way everyone benefits from lactation consultations,” said Dr Sai Kiran, lead consultant neonatologist, Fernandez Foundation.