Chinese postpartum mothers' perspectives about the usage of donor milk and human milk banks: A qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION

Human milk banks (HMBs) were established to provide safe human milk for infants in need. However, the number and volume of donors are insufficient in China. This study aimed to explore Chinese postpartum mothers perspectives on the use of donor milk and the implementation of HMBs.

METHOD

A descriptive phenomenology design with semi-structured interviews was used to collect data involving 18 postpartum mothers from January to June 2021.

RESULTS

The study revealed that participants had limited knowledge of donor milk and human milk banks, faced multiple barriers to accessing donor milk, and exhibited diverse motivations for considering its use. Key barriers included misconceptions about the value of donor milk for premature infants, concerns over quality and safety, psychological hesitations, and limited access to human milk banks. However, some participants saw donor milk as a way to support breastfeeding beliefs and alleviate the burdens associated with breastfeeding.

DISCUSSION

This study explored challenges in HMBs and donor milk use, emphasizing the necessity for targeted education.