Why is Breast Milk So Important?

Storing breast milk brings immense benefits for both sides, so let’s list them. For mom, the main benefits that storing breast milk brings are:

• Prevents early weaning
• Continues milk production, so she can keep breastfeeding even after returning to work, even if it’s
• during the period she’s home at night
• Keeps losing weight after returning to work
• Peace of mind in knowing the best is being given to the baby

With the rush of daily life, it may seem tiring to pump or even extract milk with the proper pump, but the reward is much greater than the small effort. The act of expressing and storing breast milk can be a lot simpler than you think—in fact, with time and practice, it gets easier every day.

Ways to Store

Storing breast milk is simple: just have glass jars with plastic lids at home, express milk manually or with an appropriate pump. To store the breast milk, sterilizing the storage jar is necessary, to prevent the milk from spoiling even after freezing. Remember that storing breast milk is a great solution but raw, unpasteurized milk like that collected in milk banks lasts only 15 days in the freezer and 2 days in a regular fridge.

How to Sterilize the Jars

To sterilize a jar for breast milk storage, just place it in a pot of boiling water after washing thoroughly with water and neutral detergent, as well as the lid. Don’t forget to remove any cardboard from inside the lid, okay? Place the upside-down jar in the pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. After this time, place it on a clean counter wiped with alcohol, always upside down to drain and dry. Never use any type of cloth or paper inside the jar, to avoid contamination or dirt from the cloth or paper.

Breast Milk Preservation

The jar can also be kept in the fridge after sterilization, so it’s clean for the next milk extraction. Some brands offer special bags for proper storage of breast milk in the freezer; these are sterile bags that can save space inside the fridge. However, here in Brazil, these are harder to find, so if you often travel abroad or have someone who can send you some, you can consider bringing them back for this purpose. It will certainly make life much easier. Always remember to label the milk, with the date and time it was expressed. The best part about going back to work is, no doubt, coming home at the end of the day—holding your baby and “killing the longing” is priceless! Still unsure about storing breast milk? There’s nothing better for your child than your milk. If in doubt, consult a pediatrician for further guidance. Breast milk is surely, without a doubt, life in drops! Don’t forget, excess milk can also be donated—remember the “Donate Jars of Life” campaign and help a premature baby go home more quickly.

What It’s Like To Be a Breast Milk Donor – Daniela Zanatto

Daniela Zanatto, owner of the excellent blog Mamãe Aprendiz, shares her experience as a breast milk donor. What led her to become a donor and what is the experience like for a woman who starts donating her milk? Learn more about a donor’s life and what a woman receives in exchange for this beautiful gesture of saving lives. Welcome, Daniela! Famivita: What led you to donate breast milk? Daniela: Many years ago, my cousin had a premature baby and needed milk. I went a few times to pick up milk for the baby and saw women donating at the hospital while waiting for the nurse to get the little bottle I was to take. Only when we need it do we truly value the gesture. I found it beautiful. I thought about the selflessness of those women, donating their milk without knowing for whom… They were saving my little cousin’s life, who developed quickly and was able to go home thanks to that milk. But I was young and not even dating at the time—I never thought one day I’d be a donor. Many years passed, I dated, got married, got pregnant, and the week my daughter was born, my mother brought me a pamphlet from the University Hospital here in Londrina about donating human milk. That they would come to your house, that it was an act of love. Looking at that pamphlet brought me back 15 years, to that waiting room at the HU, waiting for my little cousin’s milk and seeing the backs of those women donating their milk. I had no doubts! In that moment I decided I would do the same some day! Famivita: How was it initially? Was it easy? Daniela: After Mariana was born, I waited about 15 days to call, I wanted my milk to stabilize and, with the first child, you feel a bit lost those first days. Until I decided to call. The nurse came the next day to my house, taught me the procedures, and since I already had a pump it was very easy. In the first attempts, only a few drops came out… But later, I learned and the body starts to produce according to what you ask. As I extracted a little more every day, my body learned to produce a little more every day, so, after just over a week, I was already filling 5 mayonnaise jars, those 500 ml ones, per week! I remember in my first conversation with the nurse, she explained that I needed to let my baby breastfeed as much as she wanted first. I would only donate the surplus, the leftovers. I asked if it was worth donating, since it would probably be very little. She explained that some very tiny premature babies feed on just 1ml per hour, so any quantity is very welcome! Famivita: Did you have any problems with breastfeeding at first? Daniela: Thank God, I had no problems breastfeeding. Mariana latched on right away. At the hospital where she was born, the nurses helped me position her correctly so there was no risk of hurting my nipples, so this beginning was very smooth. Famivita: How was the process of becoming a donor? Daniela: It’s very quick. The nurse came to my house, I filled out a form, she taught me the procedures, and that same week I was already donating milk! Famivita: What do you think is the most important thing about donating breast milk? Daniela: We all know how important breast milk is for our healthy, full-term babies. For preemies, or babies with infections, it’s even more important—it may truly be the difference between life and death for that tiny baby! Famivita: Any encouragement to those thinking of donating but haven’t gotten the courage yet? Daniela: Many times, holding my daughter in my arms while breastfeeding, I put myself in the place of those desperate mothers, with babies in the ICU not knowing what tomorrow may bring. God gives you the grace to save lives! To ease the suffering of other mothers like yourself. I know it’s hard work, and life with a baby can be exhausting… but if you are blessed with enough milk for your child and still have a few drops to spare, donate those drops, donate life! Daniela Zanatto, 37 years old, Public Relations, Executive Secretary, Writer and Blogger. Married to Rinaldo for 10 years, mother to Mariana (4 years) and Gabriel (2 years). Author of the Mamãe Aprendiz blog! Also see: Breast Milk Donation – Donate Jars of Life and LOBALE (human milk bank locator)

Breast Milk Donation

Life! That’s what breast milk donation means. Such a precious liquid that can save lives! Have you ever thought about that? Many women choose to breastfeed their babies to give them the best, after all, breast milk is true wealth in terms of nutrition and for the immune system thanks to its antibodies and nutritional value. Breast milk is not only healthier, but also helps prevent many diseases in the baby! Let’s think about premature babies who are born without immunity, even more fragile than a full-term baby who was born at the expected time. These preemies need natural nutrition full of antibodies, fats, and minerals to gain strength and increase their chances of survival. A low-birth-weight baby needs to be fed a milk as rich as breast milk, so what’s the solution? Breast milk donation! Breast milk is not only healthier but also helps prevent many diseases in the baby! Let’s think about premature babies who are born without immunity, even more fragile than a full-term baby who was born at the expected time. These preemies need natural nutrition full of antibodies, fats, and minerals to gain strength and increase their chances of survival. A low-birth-weight baby needs to be fed a milk as rich as breast milk, so what’s the solution? Breast milk donation!

Who Can Donate?

Mothers who breastfeed their babies can help other babies with their extra milk! You can help strengthen a new life. A woman produces milk on demand; that is, if she breastfeeds her child she may still have milk left if she gets in the habit of extracting after feeding. To increase supply, just express the milk manually or with an appropriate pump and store it correctly. Donating to the milk bank nearest your home is a gesture of solidarity that is priceless! How to donate breast milk? Most milk banks collect at home with a team of firefighters; donors don’t even need to leave home to do good for those in need. Contact the milk bank closest to your home and check the procedures to start donating. Donating breast milk is simple and not very time-consuming; it only requires love and dedication and will do so much good for you it’s hard to explain! Be a life donor, donate breast milk! See the LOBALE Tool, which helps you find the milk bank or collection site nearest your home—just enter your address or postal code and that’s it! Donate, encourage others to donate—after all, it costs nothing!

Chris Nicklas – Why Donate Breast Milk?

Chris Nicklas is a breastfeeding advocate and owner of the “Amamentar é…” blog. Super friendly, incredibly charismatic! Chris is a super mom and the coordinator of a wonderful project; she explains how donating breast milk can be so important for those in need, especially for babies who need to gain health so they can finally go home with their worried parents. Breast milk is a natural medicine for babies; how about making some of this medicinal food available to a baby who needs it just as much as your newborn? “What a crazy life we live, right?! Full of deadlines, goals, commitments… We get lost among so many tasks and tend to turn simple acts into just another item on our to-do list. Well, donating breast milk is one of those things. I can’t help but list here in this ‘conversation’ the countless reasons that lead us to donate the milk that flows from our breasts:

Reasons to Donate Breast Milk

• Low stock at Brazilian Milk Banks

• Increasing the chances that a premature baby recovers, gains weight, and is discharged to go home

• The power that human milk has to save the life of a newborn, simply because only it provides immunity to the baby

• The immaturity of the baby’s digestive system, which is not prepared to handle anything but human milk

• The fact that, with a minimal amount of human milk—even just a few milliliters—it is possible to feed several preemies…

But I believe the main and strongest reason that leads us to donate our milk is that, at some moment, during the daily rush, we connect with a mother who, for one reason or another, has her baby hospitalized in a Neonatal ICU.

We know she exists, has a name and a family, and is there, sitting next to her child, hoping with all her faith that they’ll soon be discharged. How many of us have gone through this or still will? In these moments, we are one. We are the mother. And every baby in an ICU is our child.

Donate your milk and save lives!”

Donate breast milk! Look for a milk collection post or milk bank here on LOBALE. Your extra milk makes all the difference for a little life waiting for your gesture of love.

Chris Nicklas writes at www.amamentareh.com.br, which has essential tips for moms who are breastfeeding and those who plan to breastfeed.