Mother's milk can reduce mortality and morbidities in such vulnerable neonates. It contains all the vital nutrients and growth factors that a baby needs for optimal physical and mental growth. Human milk is a source of anti-infective factors that are proven to reduce infections and necrotising Enterocolitis, which are the major causes of mortality in preterm neonates. There is a significant gap between the demand and supply of mother’s milk, as a large number of mothers struggle to breastfeed preterm babies due to medical reasons.
KIMS Cuddles expects that on an average at least five babies will be requiring human milk from its bank on any given day. The new human milk facility at KIMS Cuddles, Kondapur will cater to such infants and in case of surplus supply then the same will be routed to other hospitals through a nodal agency.
Trained staff at KIMS Cuddles will screen the donor mothers, counsel them appropriately, screen them for infections, collect milk, pasteurize, screen and distribute milk for babies in dire need. The banks can store milk for up to one year. Whenever the need arises, the milk is withdrawn and used after it is brought to a liquid state.