Eureka! Institutional Repository

Human milk is considered the optimal diet for all newborns and infants. It is especially beneficial in preterm infants and reduces the risk of many diseases. Many newborns are born prematurely, so they are not able to be fed with human milk. They are unable to breastfeed because of premature birth and also because of insufficient maternal milk production following the removal of their baby to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The best alternative to feeding them if not with their own mother's milk, is pasteurized human milk provided safely through Human Milk Banks. Banks are specialized centers responsible for checking donors, collecting and concentrating human milk, administering it (bacteriological testing, pasteurization, storage) and making it available to any newborn in need. Successful organization of a bank requires a solid foundation that includes competent staff, equipment, appropriate infrastructure, maintenance and adequate and continuous training of its staff. Protocol development, quality control, the HACCP system, monitoring systems and the traceability of human milk from the donor to the recipient are considered key parameters of its operation. Keeping records in all procedures is considered imperative. One of the goals of Human Milk Banks is to raise awareness, support and promote breastfeeding. Networking and information sharing also contribute to creating best practices and transparency in the documentation of successful processes, both nationally and globally. Professionals and experts share information and evidence that are vital to improving the care of newborns. Many banks, however, are having trouble finding donors and thus making sufficient quantities of human milk available to the premature infants who need it. This study investigates the factors that influence mothers to donate breast milk to Human Milk Banks.