BACKGROUND:
Breast milk (BM) offers the best nutrition, protection and support to term and preterm babies1. When mother’s own milk is not available, Donor Breast Milk (DBM) is the next best option2. This study aimed to determine maternal perspectives on receiving and donating BM in a neonatal high care unit. Objectives were to determine maternal knowledge of breastfeeding and DBM, and to identify factors that affect their willingness to donate BM or accept DBM.

METHODS:
A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. Mothers of infants admitted to the neonatal high care wards of the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital were eligible. HREC Reference Number is S20/09/249.

RESULTS:
Of the 166 participants included in the study, 74.1% had heard about DBM, 3.6% and 29.5% had excellent and good general breastfeeding knowledge scores, respectively, while 1.8% and 9.6% had excellent and good DBM knowledge scores, respectively. Sixty percent were willing to accept DBM for their infant, while 27.7% were willing to donate BM to a milk bank. Participants’ opinions about the quality of DBM (P=0.028), and risking disease and gene transfer (P=0.033) were significantly associated with their willingness to receive DBM. Significant perspectives associated with a willingness to donate their BM to a milk bank included preferring information about the baby receiving their BM (P=0.004), donating BM without knowing whether it will pose any cultural issues (P=0.005), needing a partner’s permission before donating BM (P=0.002) and donating being the right thing to do (P=0.032).

CONCLUSIONS:
Maternal knowledge about breastfeeding and DBM is low. More mothers are willing to receive DBM than to donate it. Changing perspectives to Increase willingness to receive DBM or to donate BM requires holistic education of pregnant, new mothers and all stakeholders about the benefits of DBM.