Milk on Tap - First Human Milk Bank Opened in Makati

200 hundred mothers donated at least 5 ounces of milk each at the Guadalupe Nuevo Barangay Hall in Makati City Philippines during the opening ceremony of the very first community milk bank, the commencement of which was scheduled with the World Breastfeeding Month this August.

The launch was led by Sen. Pia S. Cayetano, a very strong promoter of breastfeeding with the sole aim of stimulating the fading ritual of breastfeeding.

This community milk bank is the brain child of the Compañero Rene Cayetano Foundation in harmonization with the Makati City Health Department and Makati Rep. Abigail Binay and has been christened after Cayetano’s late father.

Ten manual breast pumps worth P18,000 were contributed by Medela, a supplier of post-natal care equipment on the occasion.

Maricris Capote, mother of an eight month old son Iazethn was one of the most enthusiastic of the mother donors. She was accompanied by her son and mother, Virgie and donated milk using a manual breast pump for about 15 minutes. Capote is barely three feet tall.

She was not only spotted but even helped by Cayetano in the performance of her noble act.

In an interview to the reporters, Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography said, “The idea of this project is to tell moms who are breastfeeding to take it a step forward, to help other moms who cannot immediately breastfeed.”

The breast milk which was donated by various mothers was accumulated in an uncontaminated container and later relocated in a cooler. It was then sent to the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

This hospital sustains a milk bank with a pasteurizing apparatus. It also has three freezers which can preserve the milk for almost half a year.

This milk comes to the aid of weak and premature babies with an under developed sucking reflex or those suffering from congenital ailments. It is also given to those newborns whose mothers are unable to feed because of impediments such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

In fact now onwards it will be mandatory for hospitals bestowing maternity services to set up a human milk bank in their hospitals. This provision is in accordance with Cayetano's Senate Bill No. 1698, also known as the "Expanded Breastfeeding Act," which has already passed its third reading in the Senate.

The bill also calls for the setting up of lactation stations in public places and in all offices so as to allow mother’s to continue with breastfeeding once they return to work upon the completion of their maternity leave.