Setting up a Breast-Milk Bank: Some Socio-Psychological and Organisational Considerations.

Abstract

Summary: The acceptability of a Breast milk Bank among a small sample of Nigerians, using obstetrics and neonatal services within the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, was investigated by means of interviews. Interviewed fathers were more in favour of the donation of breast milk and of their babies receiving donated breast milk than were interviewed mothers. The most frequently stated reason for mother's unwillingness to donate breast milk was a fear about in sufficient milk supply, whereas their unwillingress for their babies to receive donated breast milk related most commonly to fears of disease transmission and passing of personality characteristics from breast-milk donor to recipient. Considerirg the logistic difficulties of establishing a Breast milk Bank, it is recommended that in the interim, milk from a donor, may be administered in the mother's absence after brief refrigerator storage.