As a NICU doula, Lactation Consultant, and Baby Loss Doula, I walk beside families navigating the most vulnerable and sacred moments of their lives.
Today, I write with a heart full of hope and purpose after attending the profoundly moving webinar “Advancing the Science and Accessibility of Human Milk for a World Without NEC” presented by Jennifer Canvasser and Dr. Lars Bode. Their work and words are a call to all of us who support NICU families: to inform, to empower, and to nurture life in every possible way.
What is NEC?
Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most serious conditions affecting premature and medically fragile infants. It’s an inflammatory disease that attacks the intestines, leading to infection, tissue damage, and in the most tragic cases, death. NEC most often affects babies born before 32 weeks or those with low birth weight.
Despite advances in neonatal care, NEC remains a leading cause of mortality in the NICU. But the good news — and the hope — is that we now understand more than ever about how to prevent it, thanks to the work by the NEC Society.
The Protective Power of Human Milk – How Your Milk can Save Lives
Human milk is not just nutrition — it is medicine.
Breastmilk is uniquely designed by nature to support the immature gut, immune system, and microbiome of a premature infant. It is rich in human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), powerful components that help to protect against infection and inflammation.
Research led by Dr. Lars Bode and his team at the University of California, San Diego’s Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE) has shown that these HMOs may play a crucial role in preventing NEC.
The MOMI CORE team is working tirelessly to make human milk-based solutions more accessible and effective. Their programs focus not only on the science of milk but also on advancing equity — ensuring that all babies, regardless of circumstance, have access to the best possible start in life.
How Parents Can Protect Their Babies
- Provide Human Milk Whenever Possible
Whether directly from the breast, expressed, or donated, every drop counts. Even small amounts of colostrum can coat and protect your baby’s gut. - Seek Support Early
Work with your NICU team and a Postpartum Doula (like myself) as soon as possible. - Ask About Donor Milk
If providing your own milk is not possible, ask your NICU about using pasteurized donor human milk. This is especially important in the early days when your baby is most vulnerable. For local Tampa Bay moms, you can receive or donate milk through Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida. - Be Informed and Empowered
Learn more about NEC, your baby’s feeding plan, and how human milk can help: Explore MOMI CORE Programs
When Grief Leads to Giving
For parents who have experienced the profound and life-altering loss of a baby in the NICU, there is a sacred and healing opportunity to donate your stored breastmilk in memory of your child.
Donor milk can save the life of another fragile baby, becoming a legacy of love and protection.
This act of generosity not only honors your baby’s life — no matter how brief — but also brings comfort and meaning to others walking a similar path.
Click here to learn more about these lifesaving research programs through the Human Milk Institute and how you can turn your loss into a gift for another baby.
In Love, In Science, In Community
We dream of a world without NEC. A world where every baby is nourished, protected, and surrounded by compassionate care.
It begins with us —
With each parent who chooses to give milk,
With every researcher who dedicates their career to this mission,
And with doulas and NICU teams who hold space for both hope and heartbreak.
If you are a parent in the NICU or have experienced loss, know that you are not alone.
Your milk, your voice, and your story matter more than words can say.
Together, we can advance a future where NEC no longer steals the lives of our most vulnerable babies—
And where love continues to nourish, long after a heartbeat fades.
With love and in solidarity,
Beata Pryszcz
