Lifeblood’s donor milk program has expanded to include Wollongong Hospital. Photos: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
Babies born early or at high risk of medical conditions will now be able to access donor breast milk in the Illawarra, with the ‘on demand’ service expanding to include more regional hospitals.
A special care unit at Wollongong Hospital which provides the extra support needed for prematurely born babies will now be able to offer a service previously inaccessible to infants being treated in the region with Lifeblood’s donated pasteurised human milk program being rolled out to more facilities.
“Every baby deserves the best possible start in life, and this expansion will ensure more vulnerable newborns across NSW can benefit from access to donated human milk when they need it most,” NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.
“I’m particularly pleased to see this service rolled out at Wollongong, Sutherland and Shoalhaven hospitals, providing better support for mums in the Illawarra.
“The expansion to special care units will help our region’s most vulnerable babies get the care they need without having to travel to Sydney.”
An additional 28 public hospitals are now participating in the program which allows them to order pasteurised donor human milk for eligible babies born before 32 weeks, weighing less than 1500 grams, or who are at high risk of certain medical conditions.
“Until now, the service has primarily supported neonatal intensive care units,” Australian Red Cross Lifeblood CEO Stephen Cornelissen said.
“However, many premature babies also spend part of their hospital journey in special care units and can now benefit from this service.”
The milk is collected from donors’ homes and taken to a Sydney facility before it is distributed.
The donor milk provides an important alternative feeding option, with a proportion of premature babies requiring additional milk until their mother’s own supply is established.
“For families with a baby in a special care unit, access to donated human milk can provide reassurance during an incredibly challenging time,” Mr Cornelissen said.
“We know that access to donor milk can provide invaluable support for families during those early weeks by assisting with nutritional development and reducing some of the pressure and anxiety for mothers,” Minister Park said.
Since the service began in 2018, almost 3000 mothers have supplied 24,000 litres of breast milk nationally, and more than 15,000 litres have been sent to NSW hospitals.
The milk is tested, processed and tested again to ensure it’s safe for the littlest and most vulnerable recipients but there are still eligibility requirements for donors.
Donors are required to have more than three litres of milk, but they cannot be collected over multiple days and then mixed in the same container, stored in food containers, or expressed longer than 10 weeks prior.
A donor’s baby also needs to be more than six weeks old and less than 12 months.
A blood test is involved to check for infectious diseases and there are some medications that mean people are unable to donate.
There is a general eligibility check on the Lifeblood website, but potential donors are urged to register and speak to a team member about the process and options.
Despite the milk now being available to Illawarra patients, it cannot be dropped off at Lifeblood centres – with donations specially collected from donors’ homes and taken to the milk bank in Sydney for processing and distribution depending on need.
To find out more or to check eligibility visit the Lifeblood website.
