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Money, jewels and important documents may not be the only valuables placed in banks these days. Some mothers store their breast milk (母乳) in banks.
There are ten breast milk banks across the United States, where mothers can donate their extra milk for other women's babies.
Experts say breast milk is the best food for babies. The World Health Organization says it is the only food babies should get during the first six months of life, in most cases. Breast milk is especially important for babies born too early. Sometimes these premature babies(早产儿) must stay in the hospital for many weeks.
James Cameron is adoctor who treats newborns at Lutheran Children's Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He says breast milk is almost like medicine. Doctor James Cameron says, "The fact is that there are so many different proteins(蛋白质) and specialized(专门的) sugars in the breast milk that the mom's able to make that help provide immunity (免疫力). It's very important for the health of the newborn."
Lucy Baur lives near Fort Wayne. She breastfed both her children and always had more milk than they needed. She wanted to donate to the Indiana Mothers Milk Bank in Indianapolis. But freezing and shipping milk can be costly. Then, a donor station opened near her home.
Milk donations in the United States work like this. Donors must be willing to provide almost three liters of breast milk. They freeze the milk and take it to the station. There, employees warm the milk and mix it with other mothers' milk. Then, the milk is heated to kill bacteria(细菌). After that, the technicians (技术员)test samples of all the milk to make sure it is safe and healthful. The milk is re-frozen and sent to the main milk bank. The milk bank transports the milk to hospitals to feed premature or sick babies.
Donors are tested for diseases before any milk is accepted. They are not permitted to smoke tobacco(烟草), use illegal drugs or drink too much alcohol.(酒精)