Hospital de Clínicas reinforces the importance of breastfeeding and the act of donating human milk
Established by Law No. 13.435/2017, Golden August symbolizes the gold standard of quality of breast milk
On this Thursday (28), the Gaspar Vianna Clinical Hospital (HC) in Belém held a special activity in honor of Golden August, a month dedicated to promoting breastfeeding. The aim of the action was to reinforce the importance of breastfeeding and the act of donating human milk to save lives and promote healthy development for newborns in vulnerable situations.
The program brought together patients from the obstetric clinic, mothers of babies hospitalized in the Neonatal ICU, and companions from the pediatric clinic. According to the hospital's nutritionist, Tília Monteiro, breast milk is essential for child development.
“Breast milk is worth gold. The first milk offered to the baby is rich in proteins and nutrients that strengthen immunity, prevent diseases, and bring benefits to both the child and the mother. This event is an important milestone, held every year at the hospital, to reinforce the encouragement of breastfeeding,” she explained.
Deise Pinheiro, 38 years old, from Igarapé-Miri, mother of little Moisés, two months old, hospitalized due to congenital heart disease, shared her experience. For her, the motivation lies in the benefit that milk brings to the baby. “We have to be patient and remember that our child needs this milk, which even helps with healing, especially when he undergoes surgery,” she points out. “At first, it was difficult, it hurt a lot, but I learned that patience is necessary. Knowing that my milk helps in my son's recovery gives me strength to continue,” she emphasized.
Golden August - Established by Law No. 13.435/2017, Golden August symbolizes the gold standard of quality of breast milk and highlights the fight for the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age, followed by continued breastfeeding until two years or more, with appropriate complementary feeding.
Human Milk Collection Center (PCLH) - The HC maintains a Human Milk Collection Center that supports, guides, and performs the milking of breast milk from mothers with hospitalized babies, in addition to welcoming female staff and voluntary companions for donation. It also conducts home collection from registered donors. Currently, the collection is being temporarily done in the Pre-labor, Labor, and Post-labor room (PPP).
Who can donate - Women in the lactation phase can donate breast milk, provided they are in good health and do not use medications that interfere with breastfeeding. To become a donor, it is necessary to register at the Human Milk Collection Center (PCLH), where the team provides guidance on collection and donation. The expressed milk can be frozen for up to 15 days from the first collection and, when stored in the refrigerator, lasts up to 12 hours. If there is excess, the recommendation is to donate to the hospital's Collection Center. The donated milk is intended for newborns hospitalized in the Neonatal ICU and the pediatric clinic, always under medical or nutritional prescription.
Text: Kelly Barros (Ascom HC)
