What you didn't know about donor milk and milk sharing

In this episode, Katie takes Rachel behind the scenes for an in-depth exploration of donor milk—an intriguing topic that might just challenge everything you thought you knew about this practice.                                                    

I have to caveat that some of the information in this episode is possibly going to get your knickers in a twist though – do we have any episode that don’t?!

We’ll be discussing: 

•  The history of milk banking 
•  Are we seeing different health outcomes when using donor milk compared to a mother’s own milk?
• Are there differences between donor and mothers milk that we should know about
• What about informal, unpasteurised, milk sharing? Is this also happening in the hospital settings as well? 
• And have you ever heard the term “milk sibling” before? 

I'll also dive into whether we need to rethink our approach to milk when caring for vulnerable infants. Plus, Rachel asks me about the future of milk banking—where is this practice headed?

LINKS:

Evidence-Based Methods That Promote Human Milk Feeding of Preterm Infants 

Early postpartum pumping behaviors

Supplementation of Mother's Own Milk with Preterm Donor Milk

Maternal production of milk

Proactive Lactation Care 

Economic benefits and costs of human milk feedings

The institutional cost of acquiring 100 mL of human milk

Impact of early human milk on sepsis and health-care costs

Quality indicators for human milk use 

Head over to The Latch Revolution Podcast to continue the conversations with Katie James and Johanna Sargeant, IBCLCs

Click here if you would like to find out more about Decoding The Suck  and advance your clinical skills in lactation and suck assessment.

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Resources & Support

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🎶 Music by Joseph McDade


Disclaimer
The information shared in this podcast is for general educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or legal advice. Always consult with a qualified professional regarding individual health concerns.

The Midwives’ Cauldron podcast does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information provided and accepts no liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content.