KGMU milk bank saved 1,700 weak newborns in seven years

Lucknow: A baby boy weighing just 1.2 kg (normal weight 2.5-4 kg) was born with underdeveloped lungs. He was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at KGMU and needed a ventilator to breathe.His mother had a complicated delivery and could not produce milk in the first few days. The baby was also too weak to digest formula milk. Doctors fed him donor human milk (DHM) from the university's milk bank during those critical days. They say such cases are common.
As the milk bank completed seven years on Mar 5, TOI traced its journey at KGMU. In this period, more than 1,700 vulnerable newborns received donor milk at the hospital. Doctors say demand continues to exceed supply, meaning some babies still have to wait.The milk bank was established in 2019 under the guidance of paediatrician Prof Mala Kumar. It provides donor milk for babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed immediately after delivery."These babies are often extremely premature or critically ill," said Prof Shalini Tripathi, in charge of the milk bank. "Donor human milk is much easier for them to digest than formula feed. We rarely see vomiting or feeding intolerance in babies who receive it."Before the milk reaches a newborn, it passes through several safety checks. Donor mothers are first medically screened. The milk is then tested in the laboratory under the supervision of microbiologist Prof Sheetal Verma."If any bacterial growth is detected during testing, the milk is discarded," Prof Verma said. "For such fragile babies, ensuring zero contamination is extremely important."Doctors say counselling mothers plays a key role in encouraging donations. "Conversations among mothers in the wards often encourage others to donate," Prof Tripathi said. "When one mother comes forward, it motivates others as well."Each year, more than 50 newborns whose mothers died or were unable to feed them depend entirely on donor milk. In some cases, mothers admitted in hospitals outside the city are counselled over the phone to express and store milk for their babies.Head of paediatrics, Prof SN Singh said donor milk became an important part of neonatal care at the hospital. "For very low birth weight babies and those on ventilator support, donor human milk can significantly improve survival and reduce complications," he said.The neonatal units at KGMU require around 15-20 lt of donor milk every month, but supply is often lower.Manager of the bank, Dr Anshika Rastogi said strict donor screening criteria and hesitation among mothers reduce the number of eligible donors. Because of the shortage, the milk bank prioritises the sickest babies.Doctors say greater awareness about milk donation could help close the gap and ensure more newborns receive the support.