Did you know that breastfeeding can help protect babies from short and long-term illnesses? It’s just one of the reasons UCR Health has partnered with UC Health Milk Bank. This project was sparked by a group of medical students from the UCR School of Medicine. By bringing the importance of breastfeeding to our community, we hope to make an even more positive impact. Dr. Brenda Ross, a maternal-fetal specialist and OB-GYN at UCR Health Inland Empire Women’s Health Center, offers insight into the benefits of breastfeeding and its role in improving community health.

What benefits of breastfeeding contribute to the ‘big picture vision’ that you would like to communicate to potential donors? 

Dr. Ross: "I think the bigger picture is that increasing awareness of breast milk depots will lead to more donations, which in turn helps milk banks provide for babies in need. As an obstetrician-gynecologist and maternal-fetal medicine specialist, I've always known that breastfeeding enhances bonding time between mom and baby. I want moms to understand that breastfeeding can also offer other benefits, such as increasing their metabolic rate, which can assist with weight management.  

Preterm babies have an increased risk for various complications, such as Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), a condition that can result in bowel surgery. Providing breast milk significantly reduces the risk of NEC, which has lasting implications for a child's health."

Now that we have officially opened our UCR Health Milk Depot, in partnership with the UC Health Milk Bank at UCSD, how does this help open doors to Milk Banks? 

Dr. Ross: "UCSD plays a crucial role since they have a breast milk bank. There are only two breast milk banks in the entire western United States—one in San Jose, and for a long time, that was the only one. In recent years, UCSD opened its breast milk bank, which provides more options for facilities throughout the state to receive donor breast milk from two locations. 

The primary focus is helping the women of the Inland Empire understand the value of breastfeeding. In the past, as formula became wildly available, many women moved away from breastfeeding largely because it was seen as inconvenient. Breastfeeding can be uncomfortable and can tether a mother to the home, to some extent. If you’re not breastfeeding, it’s easier to go out to work. There has been a big movement to help breastfeeding moms integrate more easily into the workforce by creating lactation rooms and providing mobile breast pumps, but it still hasn't been very easy."

How might this process look for a specific individual? 

Dr. Ross: "It helps by fostering an understanding of the value of parenting, the role of mothers, and the importance of optimizing how we feed, nourish, and better prepare our children for the world.  

For instance, Black women are more likely to deliver prematurely. By knowing that we haven’t been able to stem that tide, that we don’t know what’s driving that force, we make sure that the babies are better fed which means they have a lower risk of complications. Unfortunately, we can’t always prevent preterm labor, but we can optimize how we take care of preterm babies, giving them a better outcome in life. That starts with breastfeeding. I think sending that message out to the public and helping women to understand that the only way we get there is a team effort. Not every woman produces enough breast milk to feed her own child, but for women who are overproducing, we can collect that extra breast milk and make it available to babies in need."

Additional resources: 

• University of California Milk Bank: https://health.universityofcalifornia.edu/patient-care/milk-bank 
• The U.S. Breastfeeding Committee: https://www.usbreastfeeding.org/ 
• Inland Empire Breastfeeding Coalition: https://www.iebreastfeeding.org/ 
• UCR Health Inland Empire Women’s Health Center: https://www.ucrhealth.org/clinic/ucr-health-inland-empire-womens-health-center/