Donate Breast Milk, Save Preemies' Lives Human milk dramatically
boosts the chances for sick and fragile newborns to survive;
however, not every mom can produce it. By Summer Cassidy, RN,
BSN, IBCLC, Lactation Educator, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,
Advocate Lutheran General Children's Hospital. Every day, I work
with new mothers to assist them in nursing their newborns. If
their baby is premature or sick, I help them pump so they can
establish and maintain their milk supply. Aside from the
numerous advantages that human (breast) milk provides to the
healthiest newborns, it is highly recommended for premature
babies who spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit
(NICU). For these infants, human milk has life-saving health
benefits: - Lowers risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)—the
most common and most fatal gastrointestinal emergency in the
NICU. - Decreases risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)—a
potentially blinding eye disease that is primarily seen in
premature babies. - Lowers sepsis (infection