Wet-nursing in Wayanad fails to win appreciation of paediatricians

Neonatologists and paediatricians fear that the practice could expose infants to a host of diseases and allergies. They suggest pasteurised donor human milk for babies in such situations

Wet-nursing of infant survivors of the Wayanad landslides by a woman from Idukki may have won hearts, but paediatricians are suggesting a better option: pasteurised donor human milk.

Neonatologists and paediatricians are averse to the idea of unscreened lactating women feeding newborns as they fear that the practice could expose infants to a host of diseases and allergies. They suggest pasteurised donor human milk for babies in such situations.

Bhavana, a young mother of two children, including a four-month-old, undertook a 400-km-long jeep journey from her hometown Upputhara, near Kattappana in Idukki, to a relief camp in Wayanad to feed babies. Incidentally, her social media post volunteering to nurse babies had become viral.

Ms. Bhavana later told the media that she decided to feed babies as she, being a mother, could comprehend the sufferings of infants who lost their parents.

Dr. Shimmy Paulose, State president of the Indian Academy of Paediatricians (IAP), felt it was safe to feed babies with human milk, which is collected at the comprehensive lactation management centres. The milk is collected from donors after medical screening. The milk donated by healthy donors is pasteurised and stored at such centres for future use, he said.

However, in emergencies and situations where pasteurised human milk is unavailable, infants may be directly fed by lactating women, said Dr. Paulose.

Dr. K.E. Elizabeth, former Professor of Paediatrics and superintendent at Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, noted that the health of infants fed by mothers, who were under medication, could be compromised in such situations.

Mothers would be under medication for thyroid diseases and hypertension. Hence, it is advisable to go for milk offered by the centres. At present, such centres are functioning at Kozhikode and Thrissur medical college hospitals and General Hospital, Ernakulam, said Dr. Elizabeth, former State president of IAP.

Dr. Deepa Rajesh, who coordinates activities of the centre at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, suggested pasteurised donor human milk as the best option when mother’s own milk was unavailable.

Pasteurised milk, which is stored at minus 20 degrees Celsius, has a shelf life up to six months. The unit, which was launched three years ago and has a regular inflow of donors, offers milk to the in-born and out-born infants of the hospital, Ms. Deepa said.