Personalized breast milk at the gestational age of each premature baby: a pioneering initiative in Spain

Every baby born too early needs adequate breast milk at gestational age. Therefore, in the Unit of Personalized Nutrition of Neonatology, of Gregorio Marañón Hospital of Madrid, premature babies who need it receive donated breast milk that corresponds to their gestation time and postnatal age.

It's about a pioneer program in Spain It uses breastfeeding as part of the treatment of premature babies.

A necessary initiative

As explained by the Community of Madrid, it is the first unit of nutrition of donated and personalized breast milk that works in Spain.

It is characterized in that the donated milk is ideal for the baby who needs it, being a woman with similar characteristics to the one that a premature one needs in particular: her gestational age, days of life and her nutritional situation.

In addition, it is subjected to bacteriological and nutritional controls and fortified. Is about a personalized medicine that includes nutrition as a therapeutic strategy for premature babies.

In Babies and more Breast milk for premature babies Another feature is that the mother can recover the donated milk that has not yet been consumed if, for any reason, she stops producing enough.

This is possible because milk from different donors is not mixed and the whole process follows a strict follow-up that allows to know all the information of each bottle: name of the mother, date of extraction, type of milk, gestational age and in which freezer (of which the unit has) is stored.

Thus, All the batches the baby needs are always from the same donor and the same type of milk. This allows you to always receive the type of milk and if you are a very active donor you will have enough to cover all the necessary donation.

This could not be done in other milk banks because there the milk that is distributed goes to different hospitals and it is very difficult to agree that a hospital always receives the milk from the same donor.

How does 'la carte milk' work?

To obtain the most adequate breast milk in each case, each type of milk is analyzed, since the nutritional composition in each gestational age is different. The unit has nine different types of milk and, in addition, the donated milk is divided into sections of gestational age:

  • Under 28 weeks

  • 28 to 32 weeks

  • 32 to 37 weeks

  • Above 37 weeks.

One or the other is offered depending on the type of recipient, always having as a priority the baby under 32 weeks. That is, if the baby is born with 24 weeks, the breast milk of less than 28 weeks is searched in the bank and the one that is closest to it is offered.

This unit is also integrated into the same Neonatology Service of Gregorio Marañón Hospital, to facilitate contact with donor mothers.

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It has raised, in a year of operation, more than 900 liters of donated milk, which have served to feed 230 premature babies.

With these donations it has been possible to provide own or donated breast milk to all the great premature babies of less than 1,500 grams and under 32 weeks, born in the Madrid hospital, at least until they reached 34 weeks of age.

Multiple benefits for premature

Breast milk has shown multiple benefits in premature babies, since it constitutes a true natural medicine that helps improve the structure of the heart and reduce the incidence and severity of some diseases typical of prematurity, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (in 80 %), a disease that affects the intestine and colon and may require surgery.

It also decreases the rate of catheter-related bacteraemia, since breastfeeding allows the intravenous route used to feed babies to be removed earlier.

Hence the importance of this pioneer unit with personalized breast milk, since this intelligent liquid gold adapts its composition to the needs of the baby, so that the milk of a mother who has given birth prematurely differs from that of a Mother who has done it at term.

It is shown that the type of milk produced by a mother is changing. During the first five days of breastfeeding produces colostrum, then transition and then mature milk.

And there are several types of breast milk that is adapted and changing its composition depending on the needs of the child, as it grows. That is why it is convenient for each baby to be fed with the type of milk that corresponds to them at all times.

In Babies and more This changes the composition of breast milk when the baby is born premature: amazing!

Undoubtedly, this nutrition unit deserves recognition within the World Breastfeeding Week, which is taking place from August 1 to 7. But without a doubt, this project would not be possible without the altruistic donation of those mothers who, although they are suffering from having their children admitted, are able to help other newborns and their families.

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