The Human Milk Financial institution situated on the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) in Enniskillen is making an pressing enchantment for brand spanking new mums to donate breast milk as shares are getting low, significantly after the busy Christmas and New Yr interval.
Elizabeth (Liz) Bailie, coordinator of the Western Belief Milk Financial institution, stated: “We’re encouraging new moms to assist with the rise in demand for breast milk and to make sure now we have an ample provide for neonatal models throughout Northern Eire and the Republic of Eire.
“With our devoted donors, our peer help moms and the assistance of latest donors, we can meet the rise in demand for breast milk.
“We’re very proud that the SWAH has been profitable in reaching the celebrated UNICEF UK Child Pleasant accreditation, and our devoted midwives and well being guests proceed to try to help new mums to breastfeed.
“Final yr we achieved the UNICEF UK Gold Normal Award, which recognises our dedication to breastfeeding.
“We’re very grateful to our mums who assist us to unfold the ‘Milk Financial institution’ phrase round, and we discover that that is one of the best ways of maintaining it distinguished in new mum’s minds.”
Liz outlined that between January 1 and December 31, 2021, the Human Milk Financial institution processed roughly 2,142 litres of donor-expressed milk, and offered roughly 1,427 litres of breast milk to 27 neonatal models in hospitals throughout Eire, serving to 558 infants – together with 92 units of twins, 11 units of triplets, and one set of quads.
“Most of the infants who’ve obtained donated breast milk required intestine surgical procedure or coronary heart surgical procedure,” defined Liz.
The Milk Financial institution Crew additionally expressed their gratitude to the voluntary charity, Blood Bikers: “The distribution of the milk wouldn’t be attainable with out transport assist from Blood Bikers, who help with the transportation of milk to neonatal models all through Eire, and we’re extremely grateful for his or her ongoing help to the Human Milk Financial institution.”
Liz went on to elucidate the actual significance of human milk for untimely infants, saying: “Human milk incorporates substances which assist the infants battle viruses and micro organism.
“It helps to develop the immature mind, eye and nervous system. Most essential for the untimely child, it helps to guard the immature intestine from Necrotizing Entero Colitis, a life-threatening situation. Breast milk additionally helps to guard infants from pneumonia and septicaemia.”
She added: “We’re very grateful to all of the mums who donate milk to the unit, and there may be all the time the necessity to recruit new donors.
“Donors are required to be registered by the point child reaches three months previous, and as soon as registered, the Milk Financial institution will settle for milk donations up till the sixth month.
“All milk donations obtained should be in sterile milk bottles when expressed, and donated into the service inside three months of expression.
“Donors should be non-smokers, not had a blood transfusion, aren’t on medicine that move into breastmilk, and never had a tattoo, physique piercing or acupuncture, until they’ll present a letter from their acupuncturist concerning single-use sterile needles, or have visited Malarial nations prior to now yr, and are in good well being.”
If you want to seek out out extra concerning the Milk Financial institution and changing into a donor, contact the Milk Financial institution at 028 6862 8333, or e-mail [email protected]/
New mums are additionally inspired to realize help from their midwife, household well being customer, or toddler feeding lead specialist to help them by way of their toddler feeding journey.
