Newborn Care: Top 5 Reasons To Choose Donor Human Milk Over Infant Formula

Many new mothers are not able to breast feed their child for a variety of reasons. Not able to breastfeed your baby? Choose donor human milk instead of infant formula.

Breastfeeding benefits both mothers and babies in many ways. But there are some mothers who are not able to breast feed their child due to low milk production or medical conditions, which make them to rely on formula feeding. But doctors encourage new parents to choose donor human milk over infant formula. Read on to know why.

Infants have very limited options when it comes to their nutrition. Although, mother's own milk is the best bet for babies, recent studies have highlighted the challenges which mothers are facing in their breastfeeding journey. As per a recent survey among Indian women by Mylo (pregnancy tracker & parenting app), breastfeeding presents major challenges for over 83 per cent of mothers. The survey also revealed that almost 50 per cent of nursing mothers surveyed, expressed facing physical difficulties in their breastfeeding journey. Global medical studies indicate that, 51.4 per cent per cent of mothers with preterm infants had delayed lactogenesis (onset of milk secretion).

So, what choice does the mother has to feed her young one in such scenarios. Generally, it is infant formula milk. However, did you know that there are human milk banks and other organizations in the country which provide human milk donated by other nursing mothers for the benefit of such less privileged infants.

Below, Dr Vikram Reddy, MBBS, MD, PGDMLE, PGDIPRL, Chief Scientific Officer, NeoLacta Lifesciences, provides top 5 reasons to choose donor human milk over infant formula.

Advised by leading global institutions

WHO, UNICEF and the medical community unilaterally agree that donor human milk is the next best option and is far better / effective in saving lives than infant formula milk. WHO Newborn Health April 2017 update provided a clear importance for Human milk based products. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with WHO and UNICEF recommend initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth. Doctors have also highly recommended this. UNICEF data shows that in India, only 42 per cent babies are breastfed within the first hour of birth. In all such scenarios where mother's own milk is not available within the first hour of birth, Donor Human Milk is the next best option and certainly better than infant formula milk.

It is safe

Donor human milk obtained from credible organisations is safe as the milk undergoes an improvised pasteurization process to remove any harmful microbes.

Promotes GUT development

Human milk has better tolerability over formula feeds and the bioactive elements in human milk like HMO's, Immunoglobulins help in protection and development of GUT in premature infants.

Less complications of prematurity: Human milk feeding has shown to significantly reduce the risk complications like BPD (Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia), sepsis and NEC (Necrotizing Entero-Colitis). Reduction of these complications would result in reduced NICU stay and hospitalization costs.

Better tolerance and compliance

Specially, when it comes to extremely fragile and delicate medical conditions of pre-term babies. Not only donor human milk but products derived from it like fortifiers have been beneficial for preterm infants by ensuring optimal growth with enhanced tolerance. The fortifiers derived from human milk have scientifically demonstrated reduction of risk complications of prematurity when compared with fortifiers derived from cow's milk.

Lesser risk of chronic diseases in the adult age

Research has demonstrated that infants fed on exclusive human milk diet were having lesser risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, asthma, and others.

Better IQ & Neurodevelopment

Infants fed only on human milk (mother's own milk/donor human milk) have shown better IQ scores over their counterparts.

A new WHO-UNICEF report released February this year highlighted that aggressive formula milk marketing is compromising child nutrition, by influencing parents' feeding decisions. More than half of parents and pregnant women surveyed for the report stated that they have been targeted with marketing from formula milk companies.