Enhancing the endogenous nutrient levels of DHM to help support the needs of extremely and very preterm infants

Mother’s own milk (MOM) is the first choice for feeding preterm infants; however, if MOM is limited or unavailable, donor human milk (DHM) is the recommended alternative. Exclusively MOM or DHM diets do not provide sufficient levels of key nutrients required by extremely or very preterm infants. This article explores how modifications to donor nutrient intake and milk banking practices can potentially be used to enhance the endogenous nutrient levels of DHM.

Coralie Falize
PhD student
falizec@roehampton.ac.uk

Yvonne M. Jeanes
Associate Professor

Simon C. Dyall
Senior Lecturer

School of Life and Health Sciences, University of Roehampton, London

Falize C., Jeanes Y.M., Dyall S.C. Enhancing the endogenous nutrient levels of DHM to help support the needs of extremely and very preterm infants. Infant 2024; 20(3): 84-89.

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Keywords

lactating mother; donor human milk; milk bank; omega-3; polyunsaturated fatty acids; vegan; vegetarian; vitamin K

Key points

Current milk banking practices (eg storage, freeze-thawing, processing) negatively affect the nutritional quality of DHM. We provide recommendations to mitigate some of these effects.
Milk banks do not currently provide specific dietary advice for donors. We highlight how donor diet influences the nutritional content of DHM and provide recommendations for donor nutrient intake.
Through a combination of these approaches, it may be possible to enhance the endogenous nutrient levels of DHM to better support the needs of extremely and very preterm infants.

Also published in Infant:

VOLUME 16/ISSUE3, MAY 2020

Response of UK milk banks to ensure the safety and supply of donor human milk in the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic is presenting several challenges to human milk banks and has highlighted a number of vulnerabilities in service provision that have been long known by those who work in the sector. In recent weeks, milk banks across the UK have worked together to understand any risks posed to infants, milk bank staff and volunteers by COVID-19, and to put in place mitigation strategies to ensure the safeguarded provision and safety of donor human milk. The authors call on policymakers to better support these essential services for vulnerable neonates during the COVID-19 pandemic and minimise the impact of future challenges through greater investment in milk bank infrastructure, research and innovation.