Parenting
It’s widely acknowledged that breastmilk offers incredible health benefits for infants. This nutritious fluid is not just a food source; it’s packed with enzymes, antibodies, stem cells, and other essential components that shield babies from illnesses and infections. What’s even more remarkable is that breastmilk is uniquely tailored to each baby’s requirements. Its composition shifts to align with a baby’s age, recent feeding times, and nursing frequency. Additionally, it adapts in response to any viruses or bacteria the mother encounters, crafting specific antibodies that the baby ingests. It’s truly an awe-inspiring process.
However, not every mother can produce enough milk for her child, particularly those with premature infants in the NICU. Many preemies are unable to nurse directly from the breast initially. While some mothers manage to pump enough milk, the stress of having a NICU baby can complicate this task.
Breastmilk is especially crucial for premature babies, who face heightened risks of severe infections like necrotizing enterocolitis. Organizations such as the Academy of American Pediatrics and the World Health Organization (WHO) advocate for all preemies to receive breastmilk. If a mother’s milk isn’t available, pasteurized donor milk is the next best option.
Not every preemie has access to donor milk, but the situation is improving as more milk banks are established and hospitals are working to ensure its availability. When it comes to donated milk, it’s essential that it be properly handled and pasteurized. While informal milk-sharing is an option for mothers of older infants, only screened breastmilk is advisable for preemies.
Unfortunately, the pasteurization process, while effective at eliminating 99% of bacteria, also diminishes the beneficial bacteria found in breastmilk. Enter a group of researchers from the University of Florida in Gainesville who proposed an innovative solution: What if we could enhance pasteurized donor milk by adding a small amount of a mother’s milk back into it? Would this restore some of the beneficial bacteria? Would it personalize donor milk to better suit each baby?
The answer appears to be a resounding YES. A study published in Frontiers in Microbiology in 2017 has resurfaced and is generating significant excitement online. The researchers conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of inoculating pasteurized donor breast milk (DBM) with a mother’s own milk (MOM). They worked with 12 mothers of preemies born before 32 weeks’ gestation and weighing under 3.3 pounds at birth, who could express at least 45 mL per session and 100 mL per day.
Remarkably, the study found that adding MOM to DBM significantly altered the microbiome of the donor milk. “[W]e have demonstrated that each mother possesses a unique milk microbiota and that the live microbiome in DBM can be restored with these specific bacteria using small amounts of MOM,” the researchers stated. This method not only personalizes the donor milk but also contributes to a healthier intestinal microbiome for vulnerable preemies, who benefit from the age-specific attributes of their mother’s milk.
The study points out that MOM contains critical immune-modulating factors, including beneficial bacteria. Research has shown that feeding preterm infants their own mother’s milk can reduce the risks of necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis, even in small amounts.
In addition to these findings, the researchers identified an optimal method for restoring the microbiota: incubating DBM with 10% of MOM for around four hours.
This information is incredibly promising for mothers of premature infants, who often face immense pressure to ensure their babies’ health. As research continues to evolve, it’s hoped that more hospitals will provide options for personalizing donor milk with mothers’ own milk.
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Summary
This article discusses groundbreaking research on breastmilk, particularly its role in enhancing the health of premature infants through personalized donor milk. Researchers have found that adding a small amount of a mother’s milk to pasteurized donor milk can restore beneficial bacteria, potentially improving outcomes for vulnerable babies. This innovative approach may pave the way for better health practices in neonatal care.