HAVING helped hundreds more babies across Ireland over the last year, the SWAH-based Human Milk Bank has issued a fresh appeal for donor mums to help it continue it’s life-saving work, with current demand “exceptionally high.”
The only one of its kind on the island of Ireland, the team at the Western Trust run facility, which provides breast milk to neonatal units right across the island, has supported thousands of premature and sick babies in recent years.
In 2023 the Milk Bank provided 973 litres of donor breast milk to 31 units across 27 hospitals throughout Ireland, helping 773 babies, 233 of whom were either a twin or a triplet.
Enniskillen mother Sherrilea Gibride is one of the hundreds of grateful parents whose little baby was supported by the Milk Bank.
She expressed her gratitude to the donor mums who helped her daughter Isla when she was in the SWAH neonatal unit during her first week of life in 2021.
“Knowing that Isla was getting the very best start in her very young life gave me the peace of mind to focus on bonding with my daughter and allowed me the time to establish my own breastmilk,” said Sherrilea.
“I was able to successfully breastfeed Isla and I was blessed to have the privilege to continue to feed her along with her baby brother Jude until Isla was 27 months old. I cannot thank the staff at the Human Milk Bank enough for what they do – it really is a lifesaving service.”
Fellow Enniskillen mum Clare Sizeland is one of the many mothers supporting the Milk Bank, having become aware of the service while pregnant with her second baby Ruairi, and has encouraged others to do the same.
“I was delighted to be able to donate my breast milk for sick and premature babies. I would highly recommend becoming a donor if possible,” she said.
Susan Rogers, lead nurse for public health at the Trust, said the services was “indebted” to all the donors who supported the Milk Bank, noting the service was in high demand.
“The Human Milk Bank staff are working very hard to ensure this vital service remains available to all our vulnerable premature and surgical babies as the demand for donor expressed breast milk at this time is exceptionally high.”
Ms Rogers explained that breast milk helped improve premature and sick babies’ immune systems, helped prevent against disease, and helped eye and brain development.
“It is essential that we recruit donors on a continual basis,” she said.
“I would appeal to expectant mums to consider becoming a donor and for our donor mums to spread the word about the Human Milk Bank as this is the best way to help us recruit new mums.
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