NEC Awareness Month: How Donor Milk Helps Protect Fragile Babies

May is NEC Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on one of the most serious and life-threatening conditions affecting premature babies—Necrotizing Enterocolitis, or NEC. At The New York Milk Bank, we know that education and access to human milk can be powerful tools in the fight to protect our most vulnerable infants.

What Is NEC?

NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) is a condition that affects the intestines of premature and medically fragile babies. In simple terms, NEC causes the intestinal tissue to become inflamed and, in severe cases, start to die. This can lead to dangerous infections, lifelong complications, or even death.

It typically occurs in premature babies within the first few weeks of life. Because their digestive systems are still developing, they’re especially vulnerable to complications—and NEC is one of the most serious.

Why Is Human Milk So Important?

When it comes to protecting fragile babies from NEC, donor milk isn’t just food—it’s medicine.

Human milk contains antibodies, enzymes, and nutrients that:

  • Boost a baby’s immune system

  • Help mature the digestive tract

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Build healthy gut bacteria

Studies show that babies fed human milk—either their own mother’s or donated milk—have a significantly lower risk of developing NEC compared to those fed formula. 

How Donor Milk Saves Lives

Unfortunately, not every parent can provide milk for their baby—especially in high-stress situations like preterm birth or medical emergencies. That’s where milk banks like NYMB step in.

At The New York Milk Bank, we collect, screen, pasteurize, and distribute donated breast milk to hospitals and families throughout New York and New Jersey. Every ounce of milk is carefully handled to ensure it’s safe and ready to nourish the tiniest patients—especially those in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) who are at risk for NEC.

Our work is possible thanks to the generosity of milk donors—lactating individuals who share their extra milk to help save lives.

How You Can Help

If you’re a healthy, lactating individual with more milk than your baby needs, you could become a life-saving donor. 

Start your journey here: nymilkbank.org/donate-your-milk

This NEC Awareness Month, we honor the families who have been impacted by this condition, and we celebrate the role human milk plays in prevention and healing.

Together, we can raise awareness, support NICU families, and ensure that more babies have access to the protection they deserve—because every drop of milk matters.

Cognata et al. (2019). Human milk use in the preoperative period is associated with a lower risk for necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates with complex congenital heart disease. The Journal of Pediatrics, 215, 11-16.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/i.jpeds.2019.08.009

Colaizy et al. (2024). Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Extremely Preterm Infants Fed Donor Milk or Preterm Infant Formula: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA, 331(7), 582-591. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.27693

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