A few months ago it opened in the Banc de Sang i Teixits de Catalunya (Bank of Blood and Tissues of Catalonia) a breast milk bank whose objective is get breast milk to extreme premature babies They need to strengthen their immune system to prevent and treat any type of infection and they cannot be breastfed by their mothers.
As explained at the time, the Bank began with 50 donor mothers, having collected, within three months, about 100 liters of breast milk.
Since Babies and more we have considered interesting to be able to speak with María Durán, one of these mothers, to know their motivations, requirements and how they feel donating milk, among other things.
Hi Maria, to learn a little about the beginning, how did your journey as a milk donor begin?
Hello, because my story began long before the inauguration of the Mother's Milk Bank in Barcelona, more or less when my first child (Iván) was born 3 years and 8 months ago. My principles were not very good at the time of giving the tit, but thanks to the information I obtained the thing ended up being regulated and just at that moment I received information from a Breast Milk Bank that was in Mallorca and another in Madrid. I thought about donating, but it was difficult because of the distance. The truth is that I was angry because I had a lot of production.
What are the steps and requirements to be a donor?
I personally called the Mother's Milk Bank for information and they sent me an email with the information. There were quite a few Hospitals where you were interviewed and I chose the one closest to you from home.
I made an appointment and they interviewed me. They took my blood and told me that in a matter of two or three days they would call me to inform me if everything had gone right. Two days later, a very nice girl called me saying that everything had gone well and that I could get in touch with the Bank to start the extraction. Three days later they sent me by letter the analytical report confirming that everything had gone well. Then they gave me a breast pump and 10 cans with 130 ml labels.
Regarding the requirements, they are simple, you have to be breastfeeding your baby and have enough milk. Let's say donation is only contraindicated if you take regular medication with certain drugs or drug or other toxic use, if you have certain chronic or infectious diseases or if you are a smoker or consume alcoholic beverages. That is, it is enough to be a healthy person.
Could you explain a little about the process? (You take your milk at home, come and get it, you take it, ...).
You are right. I get the milk and when I have the 10 boats in the freezer prepared I call the Milk Bank. We are in a day and an hour that I do well. They usually give a margin of 3 to 4 hours, by the dealer.
When the dealer comes I give him the boats and he gives me another 10 boats with their respective labels.
That is, there are no deadlines or anything ... you are taking out and the day you have everything you warn, right?
Yes, there are no deadlines. I am filling the boats and when I have them I call the Bank to come and pick it up. There are days that I could not extract the milk and the next day I filled a boat, and more in summer, if you travel it costs more.
Why did you decide to donate milk?
As soon as I learned that in Barcelona they opened the Mother's Milk Bank, I didn't think about it. I took off the thorn that I was nailed by not being able to be a donor 3 years ago. I had my second son (Hugo) 1 year ago. When Hugo was born the one who sucked the most was Ivan, the problem was when Ivan was not around. Hugo was sucking on one tit and on the other he had to put a glass so as not to waste the milk. Ivan was not weaned at any time and now we practice Tandem. And we go on.
You are breastfeeding now ... how old was Hugo when you started donating?
Just when I started donating Hugo was 8 months old. Now he is almost 13 months old.
And they didn't ask you the age of your son? I say this because a priori, for a premature baby, I suppose it is better that the milk is from a mother with a baby of a few weeks ...
Well, I took my baby to the interview and they asked me their age, but at no time did they tell me anything. I suppose that since the donated milk also serves for digestive problems they will take it into account when using it. That's why I take the opportunity here to encourage breastfeeding mothers who have their little babies. The first three months a lot of milk is wasted, and for me it is WHITE GOLD.
Could you tell us a little about how you feel by donating milk?
Well, it's a very pleasant feeling, I always say that I breastfeed three little people. Knowing that I am helping a baby comforts me.
We thank Mary that she has told us about her experience as a mother donor of milk and, as she has done, we take the opportunity to encourage those mothers who want to do so to take the step to get breast milk to premature babies, since it can be of great help for them.
