Abstract
Background: Expressed breast milk (EBM) is the best second choice for feeding babies separated from their mothers for any reason mostly employment or hospitalization. Hence it is important to understand how milk is affected by storage in order to ensure its quality and suitability for infants.
Aim: to study the effect of storage of breast milk on total fat, total protein, and trace element iron, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D.
Methods: Breastmilk samples were collected from 30 healthy lactating mothers and analyzed for total fat, protein, zinc, calcium and vitamin D concentrations. The samples were divided into 3 sterile hard plastic containers and were analyzed at zero, one week after storage at (4ºC), and at one month after storage in a freezer at (-4-8 ºC).
Results: There was a statistically significant decline in all of the studied nutrients except for protein and fat. Despite this decline after storage, the composition of the stored breast milk was still within the range of the international reference of mature breast milk composition. Feeding practices as exclusive breastfeeding and on demand and night feeding improve the quality of milk expressed.
Conclusions: EBM remains the ultimate substitute for feeding babies separated from their mothers. Working mothers should be encouraged to intensify their feeeidng patterns when with their babies and empty their breast completely to ensure adequate transfer of enough fats and proteins from the hind milk so as to substitute any decline that occurs with storage.
|
