Breastmilk bank in NSW brings 'liquid gold' to vulnerable babies
By
Jean Kennedy
Updated 6 minutes ago
PHOTO: Jenna Gregory said taking pressure off mothers struggling with milk supply is vital. (ABC News: Jean Kennedy)
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Mums of premature babies will have some stress alleviated with the opening of the first New South Wales milk bank, which is being billed as nothing short of life-saving.
The donor bank will be based at Alexandria in inner Sydney and gives vulnerable premature babies their best chance at survival.
Jenna Gregory, who had her son Mason at 25 weeks, said donor milk is like giving a baby "meat and veg over chicken nuggets".
Although she said she has no problem with formula, she wanted Mason to have the best possible nutrients.
"My supply obviously wasn't ready ... I wasn't able to keep up with him," she said.
"I felt like a failure.
"Until some kind of angel came around and gave me what I needed."
However, there was no local supply of donor milk so Ms Gregory was provided with some from Queensland.
PHOTO: The milk bank will be similar to a blood bank and all donors will be screened. (ABC News: Sarah Farnsworth)
"I honestly felt so grateful I had that help ... it has got him through everything," she said.
"I'm so proud they are bringing this to [NSW], there's such high demand for it and so many babies born this early or earlier that deserve the best chance."
The donor milk will be pasteurised at the Alexandria centre which will be run by the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.
It will supply milk on a needs basis to nine neonatal intensive care units across the state.
"Around 1,000 babies are born every year in NSW at less than 32 weeks gestational age, or of a very low birth weight and many need specialised care," NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.
"Breast milk is liquid gold for these little ones at this critical time."
Currently the Queensland Milk Bank in Brisbane is the largest growing milk bank in the country and supplies milk to a dozen hospitals in NSW, Tasmania and Queensland.
Earlier this year
the bank became very close to running out of milk as demand soared to unprecedented levels
The World Health Organisation recommends pasteurised donor human milk as a first alternative to formula when there is insufficient mother's milk available.
Research indicates it increases the survival of premature babies by almost 70 per cent.
Australian Red Cross Blood Service spokesperson Jenni Mack said the milk bank will operate under world's best practice standards.
"Just like a blood bank, the milk bank will screen donors, collect, process and test the donated breast milk, then track and distribute this precious resource," Ms Mack said.
