Donating Expressed Milk to Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù

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Many of you were inspired by the photo of our Super Mom who is donating her expressed milk to Bambino Gesu Hospital and asked how you too can donate. So here is the information needed to donate milk.

 

First contact Banca del Latte Umano Donato located at Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù , Piazza Sant’Onofrio 4 11065, Roma. Their phone numbers are +39 06 6859 2831/2217/2358 or you can write to bancadellatte@opbg.net. You will have a preliminary interview and a questionnaire to ascertain your life style, eating habits and to identify any impediments to becoming a donor. A blood test will be taken to exclude the presence of any contagious diseases. Once you have been cleared as a donor the staff from the Milk Bank will give you the correct information how to preserve your milk in the containers supplied by them or in clean glass containers. The usual expected donation is about 100ml per day. The Bank will organize a pick up for the expressed milk at your home or office. They will call you two days before the scheduled pick up and ask that someone is present at the pick up point for the whole morning of the scheduled pick up.

Once your milk is collected it is stored in a freezer at -20°C until the moment it is used. When it is ready to be used, the milk will be defrosted and pasteurized. This process uses heat to destroy any possible harmful pathogens that may be present in the milk. Once the milk has been defrosted and pasteurized it is stored in a refrigerator for a maximum of 24 hours. From the time the milk is handed over to the hospital staff to the moment it is used, the milk is strictly regulated and recorded. All information is kept confidential.

The gift of donated milk is priceless! Thank you for giving a premature or ill baby their best start in life!