At Mothers’ Milk Bank, we believe in the life-saving power of human milk. It helps give babies the very best start in life, thanks to its incredible nutritional composition and bioactive benefits, and goes a long way in supporting successful long-term lactation for new families.
On top of providing donor human milk to both hospitals and outpatients, we are advocates for lactation education and support. Our trained lactation consultants help families navigate a successful feeding journey, no matter what that might look like. We also work closely with medical professionals to share the latest research and best practices in the lactation space so we can continue to improve outcomes for babies in Colorado and beyond.
Ten Amazing Things About Human Milk
- Human milk contains critical growth factors that promote gut development.
- Human milk is remarkably consistent around the world.
- While the amount of calcium in human milk is low, 67% of it is absorbed!
- The composition of human milk changes throughout lactation to meet the nutritional needs of growing babies.
- Human milk provides short-term protection against acute illness AND long-term protection against chronic disease.
- Human milk contains undifferentiated stem cells.
- Human milk contains leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite.
- Human milk changes flavor (and color!) depending on the parent’s diet, preparing the baby for cultural flavors.
- After lactose and lipids, oligosaccharaides are the third most abundant solid in human milk.
- Human milk has critical immune factors (especially IgA antibody-90%) that provide immune protection.
A Comparison of Human Milk and Formula
Benefits of Breastfeeding
For many parents, it takes a few days after giving birth for milk to come in.
Donor human milk can serve as a bridge until it does, helping jumpstart a successful lactation journey, and is often used when a mother has undergone breast surgery, is ill, is taking certain types of medication, or has given birth to multiples and does not have an abundant milk supply.