Hospital notes success of breast milk bank
The breast milk bank at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University has received donations from 112 new mothers with 1.9 million milliliters of breast milk benefiting 1,270 premature babies since it was established in 2017, hospital officials said on Thursday, National Breastfeeding Day.
Dr Cao Yun, director of the hospital’s intensive care unit, said about 70 percent of premature babies there are able to be fed by breast milk and all extremely low weight premature babies are fed with breast milk, which helped greatly reduce the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, a devastating intestinal disease.
“The breast milk bank has had a great effect in the treatment of premature babies,” said Cao.
To further encourage breastfeeding and improve premature babies’ growth, the hospital has teamed up with 37 experts from 29 hospitals across China to work out a guidance on breast milk use in neonatal intensive care units.
A staff member prepares donated breast milk for premature babies at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University.
