The impact of a Donor Human Milk Program on the provision of mothers' own milk at discharge in very low birth weight infants.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Examine the effect of a donor human milk (DHM) program on mothers' own milk feedings at discharge for very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. STUDY DESIGN: A single center retrospective analysis of feeding outcomes in preterm infants. Data were assigned as (1) pre DHM era (2) Bridge DHM era (3) Full DHM era. Each era was divided into infants <1500 g (n = 724) or ≥1500 g (n = 784). RESULTS: Both the percentage of mothers' own milk feeds and percent of infants exclusively receiving mothers' own milk at discharge were increased in the <1500 g (p = 0.003, p = 0.002) and the ≥1500 g group (p = 0.007, p = 0.004) respectively, following the introduction of DHM for VLBW infants. CONCLUSION: Practice changes that accompany a donor milk program likely play a prominent role in the provision of mothers' own milk and exclusivity of breast milk feedings at discharge for very low birth weight infants.