Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Individualized Reconstitution of Human Milk Microbiota: A Feasible Approach in Real-World Settings
Published on: February 7, 2025
Implementation of a human milk management center
Diane L Spatz1, Katherine J Schmidt, Sue Kinzler
1University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and the Lactation Program, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Dr Spatz); University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (Ms Schmidt), and Director of Patient and Family Services-Nutrition Services, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Ms Kinzler).
Implementing a human milk management center (HMMC) improves infant nutrition and safety in hospitals. This centralized approach ensures safe milk preparation and tailored fortification for hospitalized infants, addressing suboptimal current practices.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal nutrition
- Hospital logistics
- Infant health
Background:
- Current hospital practices for human milk preparation and fortification are often suboptimal.
- Ensuring the safety and nutritional adequacy of milk for hospitalized infants is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of a human milk management center (HMMC) in a children's hospital.
- To highlight the benefits of a centralized system for human milk preparation and analysis.
Main Methods:
- Establishment of a dedicated Human Milk Management Center (HMMC) utilizing aseptic techniques.
- Implementation of milk composition analysis, including creamatocrits.
- Development of processes for skim milk preparation tailored to infant needs.
Main Results:
- Centralized HMMC ensures safe, aseptic preparation of human milk.
- Ability to analyze human milk nutrient composition for precise fortification.
- Customized milk preparation, including skim milk, meets individual infant nutritional requirements.
Conclusions:
- A Human Milk Management Center (HMMC) is essential for optimizing the safety and nutritional value of human milk for hospitalized infants.
- Centralized management addresses variability in human milk composition, leading to improved infant feeding practices.
- The described processes provide a model for developing similar centers in other healthcare facilities.
