Donor Breast Milk Program

About Our Donor Human Milk Service

For pre-term and low birth-weight babies, along with babies who meet certain medically necessary criteria, Beverly Hospital offers Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PDHM) at no cost, to help provide nutrition and protection from infection.

While waiting for mother’s milk supply to be established, donor milk is considered a better choice than formula for supplementation because:

• Human milk is digested well and feedings can be increased more quickly.
• The number of days a baby receives IV nutrition in the NICU may be decreased.
  
• Human milk is like medicine; it protects babies against infection.

Where Does PDHM Come From?

Breast milk is obtained by Beverly Hospital from Mothers’ Milk Bank of New England, and arrives frozen after being heat-treated (pasteurized) and tested in a laboratory.

Donors are:

• Lactating mothers with extra milk
• Screened for health behaviors and diseases
• Not paid
• Non-smokers
• Not taking regular medications; prescription, over-the-counter or herbal

How Do I Know PDHM is Safe?

Each donor mother is screened very carefully, including phone and written health forms, notes from her doctor and her baby’s doctor about their health, as well as a blood test for Hepatitis B and C, HTLV and HIV.

Donor Milk is pasteurized using the Holder Method. This process heats the milk to 62.5 Celsius (144.5 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes, killing bacteria and viruses. After pasteurization, each batch is tested to assure it does not contain bacteria, then the milk is frozen and stored until distribution to hospitals. Any milk that contains bacteria is discarded and not given to babies.

Eligibility

Mother’s own milk is the best nutrition and protection from infection for all babies, especially pre-term and low birth-weight babies. In times when a mother is unable to provide enough of her own milk, Beverly Hospital uses PDHM as an option.

Your baby may be eligible for PDHM if:

• Their body weight is under 1500 grams
• They are born before 34 weeks gestation and are admitted to a special care nursery
• They have low blood sugar levels and are in need of extra supplementation
• They have high bilirubin levels
• Additional criteria, determined at the discretion of your baby’s doctor

For more information about Beverly Hospital’s Donor Breast Milk Program, please contact Anna McNicholas, RN, MSN, CCRN, by email or calling 978-816-2263.