UP’s first human milk bank at KGMU brings hope to many mothers

KGMU’s human milk bank, after processing the collected breast milk, provides it to those newborns who fail to get mother’s milk due to some medical reasons.

The newly opened human milk bank at the King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, has brought relief to mothers who are unable to breastfeed their newborns due to medical reasons. This is the first such milk bank in Uttar Pradesh.

The human milk bank at Lucknow’s KGMU has formally started depositing, processing and distributing the breast milk. (Representative Image)

It also aims to reduce neonatal deaths in the state by availing medically processed breast milk to the stillborn and those infants whose mothers are unable to lactate.

As part of its standardisation process, the milk bank, which was opened in March this year, has formally started depositing, processing and distributing the breast milk.

“We are at present collecting milk from lactating mothers whose newborns are admitted to the neonatal ICU at the hospital. We are providing mother’s milk to those infants who cannot be brought to their mothers for breastfeeding due some medical reasons,” said Dr Sheetal Verma, nodal officer of the breast milk bank, established at KGMU’s trauma centre.

The bank, after processing the collected milk, provides it to those newborns who fail to get mother’s milk due to some medical reasons.

“In the second phase we will collect mothers’ milk and save it in the milk bank and later it will be administered to newborns irrespective of the woman who has donated it. This will be an ideal situation where we can save lives of newborns,” said Dr Verma.

She said that many lactating mothers overproduce milk but deliver stillborn babies, such mothers can be donors.

Milk collected from them would be given to such newborns who do not find access to breastfeeding after their birth. Mother’s milk contains antibodies and lymphocytes that help the baby resist infections.

“Maharastra and Rajasthan already have such milk banks,” she added.