Research highlights the emotional benefits and challenges of breast milk donation

A recent study published in the journal Maternal and Child Nutrition, Researchers investigated the impact of being able to donate milk on women's well-being. Women who donated milk reported positive effects on their well-being, but women who were unable to donate often felt rejected and irritated, highlighting the emotional benefits and challenges associated with donating breast milk.

study: Differences in the ability to donate the effects of breast milk on breast milk to Maternalwell-Beingg: Lessons for expanding milk banking services. Image credit: evso/shutterstock.com

The challenges of donating breast milk

Breastfeeding has been shown to protect maternal and infant health. Donor breast milk (DHM) can significantly benefit premature babies, especially when breast milk is not available. DHM can also reduce parental anxiety and support mental health, thus providing comfort when breastfeeding is not possible.

Donating milk can also improve mothers' well-being, especially for those who have experienced infant loss. However, few qualitative studies have studied this relationship, most of which consisted of small samples and were conducted outside of the UK.

Breast milk donors often encounter logistical challenges, health restrictions, and lack of support. Mothers who are unable to donate are often irritated and rejected. Additionally, UK guidelines for donating milk may differ, leading to inconsistencies and unfair access to this facility.

About the research

In this study, British women who wanted to donate breast milk were allowed to participate. There was no limit to the time since his attempts to donate or his ability to successfully donate breast milk.

Study participants were over 16 years of age and were able to complete the survey in English and provide informed consent. A total of 1,149 mothers with a mean age of 34.5 years were included in the study. Participants came from a diverse racial and ethnic background, with 86.8% of them being white.

Data were collected between May 2022 and March 2023 and were oversampled to investigate the donation challenges due to recent changes in donation availability, initially in Wales and then across Wales, UK.

Online surveys included demographic details, reasons for donation, details of donation, and perceived effects, including mental health effects. Open-ended questions looked into motivations and experiences related to milk donation. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis, and qualitative responses were exposed to thematic analysis.

Survey results

Approximately 43% of study participants were first-time mothers. The main reasons for donating breast milk include support from other families, raising excess milk, and the ease of milk reported among 90.3%, 48.1%, and 44.1% of study participants. Other reasons include practical reasons such as the presence of infant allergies, unique allergies, mental health benefits, a passion for breastfeeding, and a lack of freezing space.

Of all study participants, 36.3% were able to successfully donate milk, while 63.7% did not. Of those who were unable to donate, 53.4% ​​didn't ask about the donation, and 46.6% were told they couldn't.

For mothers who donated breast milk, this experience was positive and reinforced for a large part of their achievements, pride and happiness. Eight themes emerged from the qualitative response, highlighting the positive mental health impact of breast milk donation, addressing perinatal challenges, improving self-worth, appreciation, building relationships, appreciation for the body, relief from milk waste, and motivation to continue breastfeeding. Many mothers have determined that the breastfeeding journey and loss of babies are difficult donations, particularly those that are breastfeeding.

In contrast, mothers are unable to donate reported negative emotions, including disappointment, frustration, guilt and rejection. These sentiments have become stronger among those who were told they would not receive a donation or reply than those who assumed they could not make a donation, or decide not to give.

Conclusion

The findings demonstrate the emotional and practical benefits of donating breast milk to mothers, highlighting the need for better support and communication to facilitate the donation process. In addition to addressing cultural and other barriers to achieving true equity in milk donations, there is also need to be milk bank training and improved milk banking services.

The sample size for this study is large, but is limited by an old, highly educated, self-selected participant pool. Additional limitations include the potential Internet adoption bias, non-representative convenience sample division, and the need for further international comparisons of milk banking infrastructure and attitudes.