Milk donation

This is a facility where mothers' milk is analysed and pasteurised, either for their own premature baby in hospital (personal donation) or for other babies (anonymous and free donation).

Please note that practices differ between hospitals for personal donations — some give raw milk, others pasteurised milk [2]. It is quite a sensitive subject.

Decision criteria may also vary:

One of the factors is the risk of exposure to CMV (cytomegalovirus infection). Seroprevalence in women is 40 to 50%. 

In the majority of cases, there is a reactivation of CMV with excretion into breast milk. Premature babies have not been able to benefit from the maternal antibodies progressively transferred from the third trimester onwards.

Another factor in the decision may be where the milk was expressed (if it was expressed in the ward rather than at home: there would be a greater risk of cold chain breaks for milk collected at home and transported).

Milk from a milk bank is most often used for hospitalised babies. They receive donor milk while their own mother's lactation is becoming established, or when the mother is unable or does not wish to breastfeed. This allows them to benefit from the benefits of breastfeeding.

90% of babies receiving donated milk are premature babies; the remainder are babies hospitalised for serious digestive conditions [3].

When the infant is not yet able to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing, the milk is given via a nasogastric tube, with the possibility of a few drops in the mouth if the baby is awake.

Several studies have confirmed better cognitive development in premature infants fed on breast milk [12][13].

A 7-year longitudinal study of 300 premature infants fed by tube with breast milk [14] showed that a predominantly breast milk diet during the first 28 days of life was associated with better brain development, a higher IQ, better memory and better motor development.

Who can donate their milk?

Any woman who is breastfeeding and wishes to donate her milk can do so! The conditions for donation (minimum quantities, frequency of collections, age of the breastfed baby, etc.) vary depending on the centre.

Where can I find a milk bank in France?

There are 20 external-use milk banks in France. There are also internal-use milk banks, which exclusively handle personalised milk donations collected by a mother for her own child.

However, certain rules must be observed, such as: not smoking, not drinking alcohol, etc.

An interview and a medical questionnaire to be completed by the doctor who monitored my pregnancy, to check for certain risk factors (smoking, regular use of certain toxic medications…) that are incompatible with milk donation.

A serological screening is carried out at the first donation from a blood sample, and renewed every 3 months for the duration of the donation (HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HTLV) [15]

I must also follow simple hygiene measures (a guarantee of safety for the newborns who will receive the milk).

Before each collection, wash your hands and breasts thoroughly with an unscented soap, then dry your skin with a disposable paper towel.

All equipment used for collection (collection bottles, flanges and tubing, breast shells, breast pump) must be systematically degreased with washing-up liquid and then sterilised. Collection bottles are already sterilised.

Once the collection is complete, the milk must be transferred into a bottle. This can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours and you can combine milk from several collections in the same bottle throughout the day.

The milk must be cooled under cold running water, then placed in the coldest part of the fridge at +4°C.

At the end of the day, the bottle must be stored in the freezer at -18°C.

More information: https://association-des-lactariums-de-france.fr/