Wir überwinden Grenzen

Facility at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg was pioneering work for Baden-Württemberg / Donated breast milk is used to care for premature or sick newborns / Around 220 children have received donated milk so far

Breast milk is the most natural and healthiest food for newborns because it contains all the essential nutrients. It also makes a major contribution to the development of the body's immune system. However, it can sometimes happen that the amount of breast milk is not sufficient to feed your own child, for example because a child was born prematurely. The Frauenmilchbank Freiburg (FMBF) at the Center for Pediatrics of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg collects and examines donated breast milk and prepares it for premature or sick children. It was founded five years ago and was the first facility of its kind in Baden-Württemberg.

"Our breast milk bank is one of only 34 comparable facilities in Germany," says Dr. Daniel Klotz, Medical Director of the breast milk bank at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. "This is despite the fact that there are more than 200 perinatal centers, i.e. certified facilities for the care of premature and newborn babies, in Germany." When it was founded in February 2017, the FMBF had to overcome many hurdles. For example, the legal status of women's milk as a foodstuff in Baden-Württemberg had to be clarified for the first time. With their expertise, the Freiburg Women's Milk Bank team has helped to set up all other women's milk banks in Baden-Württemberg.

Nutrition exclusively with human milk

Since the trial operation began at the end of 2016, more than 60 women have donated breast milk. They were all mothers of young inpatients at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and had a surplus of breast milk over and above the needs of their own child. So far, around 220 children - mainly premature babies - have received donated milk at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. The concept is a success: "We are now able to feed all children born before the 35th week of pregnancy exclusively with human milk and do not have to resort to artificial premature infant formula," says Klotz. The first choice is and remains the mother's own milk. Only if this fails to materialize despite sufficient support from a breastfeeding consultant will donated breast milk be used after the parents have given their consent.

Supply area to be expanded

From March 2022, the FMBF wants to support regional and supra-regional premature and newborn care departments without their own breast milk bank with breast milk. In order to meet the very high overall demand, last year we began recruiting external donors, i.e. breastfeeding mothers without a direct connection to the clinic, for the first time. After a health check of the donor, her breast milk is collected four times a week by a bicycle courier and delivered to the clinic. There it is microbiologically examined and processed.

300 euros per liter of milk

As medically valuable as breast milk nutrition is, it is also expensive. "Production costs of around 300 euros must be calculated per liter of breast milk," says Klotz. In addition to support from many areas of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, the Frühchenverein Freiburg e.V. also helps financially.

All information about the breast milk bank at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and how to get involved can be found in this flyer.

Contact:
Dr. Daniel Klotz
Medical Director Women's Milk Bank
Center for Pediatrics
Uniklinik Freiburg
Phone: 0761 270-43000
daniel.klotz@uniklinik-freiburg.de