Human Milk Expression, Storage, and Transport by Women Whose Infants Are Inpatients at a Tertiary Neonatal Unit in Melbourne, Australia: An Exploratory Study.
Adv Neonatal Care 2021;
21:E199-E208. [PMID:
33350706 DOI:
10.1097/anc.0000000000000825]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Expression and storage of mothers' own milk at home and its transportation to hospital neonatal units are a common practice worldwide when newborns are inpatients. Studies assessing adherence to hospital protocols and guidelines for this are not widely published.
PURPOSE
To explore the advice received and practices followed by mothers when expressing, storing, and transporting their milk from home to the hospital, with a substudy exploring the factors related to temperature maintenance of refrigerated milk at recommended values.
METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study at the neonatal intensive care unit of Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, Australia. Mothers who were discharged home after birth of the infant, but whose infant(s) remained in the neonatal unit for 7 days or more participated. All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. In the substudy, home refrigerator temperature and surface temperature of milk on arrival to the hospital were recorded.
RESULTS
The questionnaire was completed by 100 mothers; 38 participated in the substudy. Median travel time from home to the hospital was 32 minutes (range, 2-135 minutes). Lactation consultants were the largest group providing information, with 44 participants (45%) identifying them as the primary information source. Knowledge about recommended refrigerator storage times for expressed milk was correct in 53 mothers (54%). Coolness of milk was better maintained when transported in an insulated food container than nonuse (surface temperature: mean 9.1°C vs 12.2°C; P = .007). Distance and travel duration were not correlated with temperature.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
More diligent monitoring of conditions under which mothers' own milk is transported to hospital is required, and the use of an insulated food container for refrigerated/frozen milk, even for a short duration, should be strongly recommended. Staff to be trained and better equipped to provide uniform, concise information on expressed human milk management to mothers.
IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH
Further research to correlate factors associated with transporting human milk expressed at home and infant health outcome is needed.
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