Breast Milk Donations Urgently Needed in Quintana Roo

Quintana Roo, Mexico — May 19 marks World Breast Milk Donation Day, a date aimed at highlighting the importance of this altruistic act, which can mean the difference between life and death for newborns. Despite its vital impact, human milk donation remains a little-known and often underestimated process in society.

A Critical Shortage in Quintana Roo

According to pediatrician Bernardo Russek, breast milk donation in Quintana Roo is in crisis due to a severe deficit of donated human milk, jeopardizing the health of premature newborns in intensive care units across hospitals in northern Quintana Roo.

“Donating breast milk is as important as donating blood. The difference is that a single mother can feed multiple babies fighting for survival, yet we still struggle to find donor mothers,” explained the specialist.

He noted that in Playa del Carmen, the Chuchu Human Milk Bank is the only one of its kind in the entire Yucatán Peninsula. This bank supplies hospitals in the northern part of the state, including Isla Mujeres, Benito Juárez, Puerto Morelos, Cozumel, Tulum, and Solidaridad. However, the bank’s records reveal alarming figures: while approximately 60 liters of milk are needed monthly to meet hospital demand, only six liters are collected.

“There is no culture of breast milk donation. Many women don’t even know that a milk bank exists where they can donate their excess supply to help babies who depend entirely on this nourishment,” Russek commented.

Babies Surviving on a Drop of Milk

The doctor detailed that, according to milk bank protocols, donated milk is primarily allocated to neonates in intensive care units across Quintana Roo hospitals, where every milliliter counts.

“Donated breast milk doesn’t just nourish—it protects. It prevents severe infections and promotes healthy development, especially for babies who, for various reasons, cannot be fed by their own mothers.

“Newborns may consume between 20 and 60 milliliters per feeding, with up to eight feedings per day. That’s an average need of 300 milliliters per baby, per day,” the pediatrician explained.

With current resources, the bank can support an average of eight to fifteen babies daily. But when donations run low, the situation becomes critical.

“Sometimes, we don’t receive even a single liter for weeks. It’s concerning. Lives that could be saved are being lost due to a lack of education on this issue,” Russek lamented.

A Safe and Regulated Process

To become a donor, women must undergo a medical interview, be actively lactating, have excess milk supply, and pass certain clinical tests. The process ensures that collected milk is safe and suitable for vulnerable neonates.

“Fear and lack of knowledge are the main obstacles. Many women think it’s complicated, but donating milk is simple, hygienic, and, above all, lifesaving for many babies,” he added.

In 2023, the ChuChu Milk Bank needed to distribute over 1,080 liters of breast milk to hospitals in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel, but donations barely reached 72 liters for the entire year. The shortfall was covered by internal reserves, which are now critically low.

“We are facing a public health issue that requires awareness, education, and solidarity. Every drop counts, and every woman who donates is giving life,” the pediatrician concluded.

Key Facts About Breast Milk Donation

Why is breast milk so important?

Benefits for the baby:

• Strengthens the immune system
• Reduces risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections
• Supports neurological development
• Lowers incidence of chronic diseases
• Easily digestible and nutritionally complete

Importance of donation:

• Saves lives of premature or critically ill infants
• Meets nutritional needs in neonatal intensive care
• Eases pressure on hospitals during emergencies
• Ensures equitable access to proper nutrition

How to become a donor in three steps:

Step 1: Good health status

• No history of hepatitis B, syphilis, or HIV
• No blood transfusions in the last five years
• No tattoos or piercings less than a year old
• No alcohol, tobacco, or drug use
• Must have excess milk supply

Step 2: Visit the milk bank

• First-time donors undergo a brief interview
• Free laboratory tests to confirm health status

Step 3: Milk donation process

• Donated milk must be frozen and delivered within 15 days of extraction
• Transport in a cooler to maintain temperature
• Label with donor’s last name, extraction date and time, and baby’s birth date

Additional reminders:

• Use separate containers for each extraction (do not combine milk from different sessions)
• Acceptable containers:
  • Small plastic-lidded jars, pre-washed and boiled for 15–20 minutes
  • Pre-sterilized milk storage bags