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Haiti Now Accepting Breast Milk Donations
UPDATE: Since I wrote this, Haiti aid workers have asked that no breast milk be sent, and that the Human Milk Bank Association of America retract their request for donations. Babble will have more on this later today.
Infrastructure is now in place for Haiti to accept donations of breast milk, which will start being distributed this week to infants at a neonatal intensive care unit.
The Human Milk Banking Association of America, as well as many other breastfeeding organizations, are calling on all lactating women in the U.S. to consider making an emergency donation.
The majority of mothers in Haiti breastfeed their infants, but with many children orphaned, separated from their parents, or suffering from chronic malnutrition, the need for breast milk for both infants and toddlers is immense. UNICEF stresses that donations of infant formula or powdered milk are NOT needed, and in fact would only create problems for the overworked aid workers in Haiti, since they require water and put infants at risk if their distribution is not strictly managed.
Monetary donations are, of course, always needed and will be used in part to help nurse lactating mothers back to health, so they may in turn feed their children.
If you can’t afford to donate money, but you do have breast milk to share, you can find a milk bank near you here.
Photo: Grub Street
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13 Comments
[...] that “urgent call for breastmilk donations to Haiti’s babies” that was flying around the internet earlier this [...]
Aid Orgs to Moms: Send Money, Not Milk | Strollerderby commented on Jan 30 10 at 3:44 pm[...] America’s Breast Milk? Probably Not. Fueled by press releases from breastfeeding advocates, parenting blogs and even The Los Angeles Times’s health blog have been encouraging donations to milk banks to [...]
Weekend Link Love: Haiti III « The Feminist Texican commented on Jan 31 10 at 1:33 pm[...] milk banks sending breast milk to Haiti that aid workers can’t use and Americans planning illegal adoptions of Haitian orphans, it’s clear that a lot of people [...]
Tila Tequila Wants to Adopt Haitian Babies | Strollerderby commented on Feb 01 10 at 11:58 amrenee commented on Jan 28 10 at 3:49 pmAccording to the WHO: Human milk donations while safe when processed and pasteurized in a human milk bank also require fully functioning cold chains. Such conditions are not currently met in Haiti and human milk donations cannot be used at present. See http://www.unicef.org/media/media_52555.html
Andrea commented on Jan 28 10 at 5:35 pmAlso, the milk banks are still only accepting donations for mothers with babies less than six months old.
Andrea commented on Jan 28 10 at 5:36 pmfor=from. Oops.
patricia commented on Jan 28 10 at 6:03 pmAndrea, is that all milk banks or only in response to Haiti inquiries? I was considering asking about donating but my baby is nearly 11 months (not sure how THAT’s possible, but whatev).
Hannah Tennant-Moore commented on Jan 29 10 at 9:22 amAndrea, That information has been updated, as a shipment of milk from HMBANA has just been delivered to a group of infants being cared for on the U.S. Navy Ship Comfort. Although the International Lactation Consultant Agency (which put out the press release on the updated need for milk donations) stresses that money is needed more than breast milk, the HMBANA is currently accepting donations of breast milk to be ready in case Haiti is able to accept more than this initial shipment.
And Patricia, you can find out all about donating breast milk–for Haiti or elsewhere–at hmbana.org.
SamID commented on Jan 29 10 at 11:14 amHas this been retracted? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35134523/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/
anon commented on Jan 29 10 at 1:55 pmBabble Editors, do the actual aid experts in Haiti a favor, read SAMID’s link, and change the headline on this post.
anon commented on Jan 29 10 at 7:02 pmAnd Hannah, if you read that link, it turns out that the staff on the ship comfort can’t use that breastmilk.
Katrina commented on Jan 29 10 at 7:23 pmOn the website linked, I read that you have to donate at least 100 oz. for a milk bank to accept your milk. It would take me months to accumulate that much!
anon commented on Jan 30 10 at 1:10 am
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