Blackpool Mothers’ Milk Depot

Background

In May 2005, Wirral Mothers Milk Bank (WMMB) made a presentation at the Wyre Breastfeeding Centre in Thornton. It was attended by about 30 people including local Mums, health professionals and BfN volunteers. The intention was to inform locally about the existence of the milkbank, and possibly recruit some donor Mums. A year later, the 2 ladies from the milkbank were asked to come back and present at the Blackpool Breastfeeding Centre. The aim of the presentation was once again to inform and to recruit new donors, but the problem facing the milk bank staff was how to collect all the milk if they got as many donors as they would like! At that presentation was the manager of a local Children’s Centre, still to be opened. Following the presentation she suggested that a freezer could be put at the Children’s Centre, and designated storage space allocated to store the necessary items for running a satellite point. This is how the Blackpool Mothers’ Milk Depot began.

There are three volunteer co-ordinators spread across the region (Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre). A dedicated phone is held by one of the co-ordinators for mothers to call if they would like to donate, want more information, or have a question. If a mother is interested the co-ordinators contact the WMMB who have a chat with the Mum and get her started on the donating process. They send storage bottles, full written instructions and sometimes also a breastpump to the mother, and arrange for all the medical checks necessary to be done.

When the mum has expressed milk to donate she calls and arranges for a collection. The local volunteer co-ordinator will then go and collect the milk, transport it in a heavy duty cool bag to the Mothers’ Milk Depot freezer. Here it is logged, the labels are checked and it is storage at the appropriate temperature. Once a sufficient amount has been collected a volunteer for The Wirral Milk Bank comes and collects the donated milk, taking it back to The Wirral to begin the donated milk process.

Even for neonatal units like Wirral, with easy access to a milk bank, there’s no lack of effort made to help the mother provide her own breastmilk. However, where this is not possible due to ill health, separation from the baby or problems with her lactation (common in very premature babies for instance), the knowledge that her baby can start feeding on breastmilk can do much to alleviate the mother's concerns - this in itself may help her milk supply. One point stressed during those initial presentations was the message given by units where donor milk is used, about the importance they attach to feeding babies with breastmilk!

Blackpool Victoria Hospital made their first request for donated milk in 2007, previously they had not had access to it. Owing to the huge quantities donated in the area, and the work which had gone into making the BMMD a success, the WMMB provided this first donor milk free of charge!

Visit www.blackpoolmothersmilkdepot.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use donor milk?

We all know breastmilk is the ideal food for babies, but it is especially important for babies who are sick or premature: giving these babies breastmilk increases their chances of survival and helps their long-term development. However, if the mother, for whatever reason, is unable to produce milk to feed her baby, then according to the World Health Organisation donated breastmilk is the 3rd best option for a baby, after the baby’s mother’s own milk direct from the breast, or expressed. A mother's own untreated breastmilk is always superior to the pasteurised milk because of its greater concentration of anti-infective constituents and because it will be more readily digested.

What is the Wirral Mothers Milk Bank?

The Wirral Mothers’ Milk Bank currently receives donated breastmilk from Mums all over the Northwest. All donated breastmilk is heat treated and screened for bacteria, because of course extra care needs to be taken with tiny or sick babies.

The WMMB, based on the Clatterbridge site of Wirral Hospital NHS Trust and the 16th and most recent milkbank in the UK, supplies donor breastmilk to the Trust’s Neonatal Unit, which cares for around 360 babies every year. At the request of consultants, they can also, for a fee, provide donor breastmilk for at risk babies at other Trusts.

How much does donor milk cost?

The cost of donated breastmilk to other Trusts is £100 per litre. This goes some way towards the cost of collecting, storing, treating and testing the donated milk, as well as performing tests on donors, and the other costs involved in recruiting them. Every drop of milk is valuable, and small or sick babies benefit from even the smallest quantities of breastmilk. Premature babies will often start with less than 20mls per day, so that litre really will go a long way!

Who can donate?

Lifestyle questions about the mother are asked to exclude those who might be likely to have illnesses or conditions which would make the milk unsuitable, or for instance those taking medications, smoking, or drinking alcohol or caffeine to excess because although a mother's milk is ideal for her own baby, extra care needs to be taken with tiny or sick babies. The mother’s blood is screened for a number of infections which could be passed through the milk, just as it would be for blood donors. In addition you cannot donate breastmilk if you have received a blood transfusion since 1980. Any mother with a baby aged under 6 months at the start of donating can apply, and most are accepted – conditions such as asthma or diabetes do not exclude a mother from being a suitable donor, for instance. Milk can be donated by the mother until her own baby is 12 months of age. It is best if the mother can agree to give regularly over the long term, so that the milk bank can keep the costs down and a regular supply coming in to the unit.

For more information see the website of the UK Association for Milk Banking