About the Foundation
The Human Milk Bank Foundation was established to promote the idea of sharing natural, tested human milk in accordance with WHO/UNICEF recommendations.
Our mission is to promote the establishment and efficient functioning of specialised facilities such as human milk banks and to support projects promoting breastfeeding and breastmilk..
There are currently 16 milk banks in Poland, located in specialised hospitals where premature and sick babies are born. The majority of the milk banks in Poland operate under the auspices of the Human Milk Bank Foundation.
For newborns who have been hospitalised for a long time, human milk is of particular therapeutic importance, promoting their health and survival. Unfortunately they are also at risk of formula feeding. Therefore, Human Milk Banks should be seen as an expression of deep concern for the best possible start in life for the smallest patients, supporting their therapy and ensuring optimal nutrition despite objective difficulties resulting from long hospitalisation.
Milk banks should be an integral part of the system of postnatal care for mother and child, especially when the newborn requires long-term treatment or when breastfeeding by biological mother is otherwise hindered. The activity of milk banks should be seen as creating equal opportunities for all children to have access to the best nourishment that is human milk.
There are 16 milk banks in Poland, located in specialised hospitals where premature and sick babies are born. The majority of milk banks in Poland operate under the auspices of the Human Milk Bank Foundation
A joint WHO and UNICEF Resolution emphasises that „donor milk from a professional Human Milk Bank is the second best choice for newborns and infants after mother’s own milk” (WHO & UNICEF Joint Statement, 1980). The activities of Human Milk Banks are also in line with recommendations of AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012) and the consensus statement of the European Society of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN, 2014).
In response to refugee crisis related to the war in Ukraine, in particular the mass movement of pregnant women and mothers with young children from war-torn areas to Poland, the Human Milk Banks Foundation launched a project entitled Supporting Mothers in Proper Nutrition of Children in Crisis (the full title of the project is Supporting and Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding and Appropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices for Ukrainian and Polish Mothers in Crisis in Poland on behalf of the United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF).
The project is aimed at supporting mothers in deep lactation crisis due to war trauma or other emergencies. In particular, it focuses on increasing the level of care for women in perinatal crisis and extending the scope of services in hospitals.
One of the pillars of the project is to strengthen the competence of doctors and medical staff in planning and supporting appropriate, safe nutrition of infants and young children (IYCF) (Infant and young child feeding). The Foundation together with its partners: the Medical University of Warsaw and a team of foreign experts associated in a non-profit organization – FHI 360, organizes a series of free online trainings. The series of webinars is aimed at neonatologists, pediatricians, gynecologists, family doctors, midwives, nurses, dietitians and lactation consultants. Webinars are available in two language versions – Polish and English.
