Moderator: Prof. Clair-Yves Boquien, PhD, EMBA President, France
Speakers: Prof. Daniel Klotz & Prof. Tanya M. Cassidy
Date/Time: June 9th, 3:00 PM CEST / 9:00 AM USA
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Webinar overview:
THE GIFT OF DONOR HUMAN MILK: OVERCOMING CLINICAL BARRIERS WHILE RECOGNIZING PARENTAL ROLES IN NEONATAL CARE
Human milk banking and donation are increasingly recognised as vital components of neonatal care, particularly for preterm and vulnerable infants. This webinar brings together two complementary perspectives that address both the systems that make donor milk available and the human experiences that give it meaning.
The first part of the session examines the global landscape of human milk banking, highlighting its proven impact on neonatal outcomes while acknowledging the significant challenges that limit its implementation and expansion. The speaker will explore practical, evidence-based strategies to overcome these barriers, including stronger policy frameworks, improved donor recruitment and education, enhanced logistics and infrastructure, and international collaboration to support sustainable growth.
The second part of the webinar centres the voices of parents, drawing on two decades of international qualitative research with donor and recipient families. Through powerful narratives—from bereaved mothers who donate in memory of a child to families whose infants rely on donor milk in the NICU—the session explores the emotional, ethical, and relational dimensions of milk donation. Together, these perspectives emphasise that advancing human milk banking requires not only effective systems, but also a deep understanding of the parents who make it possible.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the major barriers to establishing and sustaining human milk banks in diverse healthcare contexts.
- Describe effective strategies to improve donor recruitment, safety, and operational efficiency in milk banking systems.
- Evaluate policy, educational, and collaborative approaches that support the growth and sustainability of human milk banking.
- Describe the motivations, experiences, and emotional dimensions reported by donor and recipient parents in international qualitative research on human milk donation.
- Recognise the diverse circumstances that shape parental engagement with human milk donation — including prematurity, bereavement, lactation challenges, and cultural context — and their implications for NICU practice.
- Integrate parental perspectives as a form of evidence alongside clinical data when developing, evaluating, and communicating human milk donation pathways and policies.
This program has been approved for 1.0 Contact Hours; provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #13692
