Interested in being involved in a campaign to increase breastmilk donation?

[organiccarrotcake]

A few of us are discussing this and possibly trying to include MN.

Suggested areas to target:

• Increasing the number of UK milk banks
• Increasing the number of milk donors
• Raising awareness of milk donation both to BFing mums who can donate and to parents of babies in SCBU who need the milk

Anyone interested in being involved? Even in a tiny way? We are all very busy with babies and/or children so obviously that can make it really tough to get tied into something but even a few minutes here and there from a group of people makes a big difference :)

Well, I'm intending to carry on feeding for at least another 3 months so if mine can be of any use then I'd happily donate.

We're planning dc3, so I really hope tat I could donate this time.

3rd time lucky?!

organic! you're all of about ten miles away in the lovely city of wakey! It's great that you are doing that! Good on you! I have to say though i have a certain loyalty to (not to mention, pump belonging to) chester now. But next time. I'd be happy to help in any other way though. Could manage some collections i'm sure.

Helpline is a great idea. As is promo literature.

I was amazed that there wasn't a bank at jimmys, europes largest teaching hospital etc etc blah blah blah. Maybe they are close enough to hudds to be able to sponge share?

I'm interested in donating, but DS is 1 next week, so probably a bit late - a year of virtually no sleep does rather dull one's ability to investigate.

Not sure if either of my local hospitals (Addenbrookes/Harlow) have milk banks, but it would have been great to have had it at least mentioned in the early days (something like 'if you keep breastfeeding and want to donate, please give us a call' - no pressure, just a number to call). Will be keeping it in mind for DC2 if and when he/she comes along though.

I'm in! I donate (to Oxford milk bank via Royal Berks Hosp), and did so a few years back too after DS. With DS i didn't start to donate until he was 1 year old, with DD started as soon as I could. I get the feeling not many donate in my area as often when I ring the unit (delivery suite) to check if ok to drop off the midwife answering denies there is a freezer for such purposes! I'll start spreading the word, its not something I mention much in RL as I feel like I'm bragging [silly]!

Oh maygirl do talk about it! That's one of the really important things as so few people know about it. I've emailed my Bumps and Babies group, local NCT e-group and I talk to anyone I can about it!

science There are a few studies which are not great quality, and quite old. But the studies that are there show a significant reduction in the incidences of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preemies given donated BM V preemies given formula. Unfortunately pasturisation does remove some of the other protective properties of the donated milk, but, NEC is so dangerous - causing death or severe bowel problems - that's where you're saving lives by donating BM.

If anyone wants to know where their nearest breast milk bank is, go here

moon ;-) Oh yes, home of the smallest cathedral ;-) We even had the "right" to get married there as DH was a chorister there for many years, bless him. We didn't though!! Where in Leeds are you?

Yeah! Well done present/former/future BM donors. .

This thread sprang out of the Tommy's/Aptamil thread where we discussed that Bliss has a policy of not working with formula companies apart from wrt to formula for prem babies.

Herecomesthesciencebint - you were wondering about the science :

I know the world health organisation recommends infant feeding in this order:

BF from breasts
BF from mother expressing
BF from donor
FF

Here is some evidence from babyfriendly (UNICEF).

Here is guidance from NICE issued earlier this year.

I guess MN should work with the UK Association of Milk Banking.

I noticed they have some leaflets on their website. Perhaps we could all put some leaflets in our doctor's surgeries and talk to our local community midwife teams?

I guess my closest hospitals with banks would be Birmingham, Oxford or Cambridge but none of those collect and are all over an hours drive away

Huddersfield is quite far from me, too, but I am batching the milk and taking it once a month, and trying to get as many local people involved as poss so it makes the run worthwhile. Maybe you can get a few people together and you have a schedule for taking it, so that you only each go once?

I was just randomly wondering what the deal is with colostrum? I was able to express (relivatly) loads of it when pg and would happily donate it next time. But is it any use? Is its magicalness lost in pasturisation?

I will ask the bank coordinator and get back to you.

no rush on my account mind. No intention of getting pg just yet!

organic i filled in the contact form but my computer and mouse have fallen out, as have my phone and yahoo (must be something in the air tonight ) so feel free to text instead. I should get to the library this week to check my email even if the computer won't play.

Oops!

I received the email and have responded anyway.

Lot going on this week and next (Christening this weekend and my BD, and DS1's BD week after) but hope to be sorting things out from then.

no worries will check email by then come what may. I just didn't want you to think i was ignoring your email.

i'd be in - although have no intension of making BM again!! I donated milk when BF DD2, i collected it and froze it and drove it over to huddersfield from Sheffield.

Brilliant, thanks Katz.

I posted earlier some suggestions for the group's aims. Any comments from anyone?

butterfly I'm sure you're right. I'm going to talk to the milk bank to see what they want.

Another one here who didn't have calls returned by the milk bank co-ordinator at my local hospital when I wanted to donate. It seems any campaign would need to be two-pronged, both to encourage lactating women to donate, and for milk banks to be more organised and responsive.

Mine was St George's, Tooting btw.

I'd fully and actively support any campaign.

I spoke to the Chair of UKAMB today who has been lurking here (waves).

Within 6 months she will have completed a review of UK milk bank services and will be better placed to work out how to extend the service.

In the meantime, here's what we can all do to help:

1. Join and/or donate to UKAMB (www.ukamb.org/support_membership.html)

2. If you are in a position to donate, and your local milk bank hasn't responded, persevere. They do want your milk!

3. If you can create a local collection and delivery group, brilliant.

4. Raise awareness! If there's not a milk bank regionally, consider raising awareness locally of the fundraising needs of UKAMB. Post on your facebook - get people thinking about donating. If there's a local bank, contact them for leaflets and posters and put them up in your GP surgery, give them to friends who are BF, contact your local NCT and LLL to see if you can promote it through their newsletters - anywhere you can think of!

How's that to start with?

I'm bumping this thread. I'm donating to Wirral Mothers Milk bank but am in Hyde! Many of my friends with babies are unaware they can donate. I feel very proud of doing this and have mentioned it in my postnatal group, so you never know, I may have recruited more mothers.