The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life. They also recommend that babies receive complementary foods until at least twelve months of age. Breast milk helps babies to develop immunity and produces long-term health benefits. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, Type 1 Diabetes, severe lower respiratory disease, ear infections and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

To help our youngest and most vulnerable patients, the Harbor-UCLA Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) opened the Donor Human Milk Tissue Bank. This new program allows the NICU to provide breast milk for our littlest patients whose mothers are not able to produce it. Today, our youngest and most vulnerable patients have the opportunity to receive the extra nutrients they need to fight off infections and grow strong and healthy enough to finally go home to their families.