‘Human breast milk is much more easily digested and absorbed than formula milk that is not always suitable for the earliest babies’

THE first choice of milk for our tiniest premature babies is their mother’s own milk.

But for some families, whose babies arrive in the world much earlier than expected, this isn’t always an option.
Donor milk helps thousands of premature babies across the country, especially in the early stages when most mothers can struggle to establish their own milk supply or if mothers are unable to breast feed due to physical illness.

“In such situations donor milk is the second-best choice for feeding these vulnerable infants and our goal is to ensure that donor milk is available to every newborn that would benefit from it”, said Francesca March, milk bank coordinator at the Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital.

“Donating breast milk is one of the most precious gifts you can offer; it can be done in the comfort of your own home and collected from your door”, said Ms March.

The milk bank recruits actively lactating parents who are less than one-year post-birth.

It provides milk to babies born early at Imperial healthcare-run hospitals, including St Mary’s in Paddington, currently processings approximately 300 litres each year.

Queen Charlotte’s Hospital in Hammersmith was a charity when the milk bank, which pre-dates the National Health Service, was launched in 1939. Infant mortality rates were high and premature births were increasing.

This led to higher rates of delayed milk production and a clear need for the new milk bank service that was introduced by the head matron Edith Dare.

Ashley, above with her children, says: ‘My advice to new donors would be to avoid putting pressure on yourself to donate in the shortest time possible. Your own baby should be the priority’

Dr Aniko Deierl, a consultant neonatologist at the unit, said: “When babies are born too early, mum’s body may not be ready to produce milk yet and they need support to start expressing and collecting enough to feed their baby.

“In the meantime we can offer donated breast milk from the milk bank at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital to help bridge the gap.”

Preterm birth, when babies are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is the leading cause of death in children under five across the world.

Researchers are trying to find ways to reduce early births but, in the meantime, doctors and researchers are committed to supporting families to have the best possible outcomes.

A potential complication for the most vulnerable premature babies, born before 32 weeks, is a serious stomach condition, necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), where tissue in the bowel becomes inflamed.

In severe cases one in two will die or live with long-term neurological disability and nutritional failure.

Human breast milk is much more easily digested and absorbed than formula milk that is not always suitable for the earliest babies.

Dr Deierl said: “In our unit, where babies born before 32 weeks are offered donated breast milk as standard, the rate of babies being admitted with NEC is roughly halved.”

The reasons why NEC develops in premature babies is not fully understood.

Dr Jay Banerjee, a researcher looking at the problem for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Many premature babies need blood transfusions to replenish blood supply in the body due to repeated blood tests.

“We noticed that in some premature babies who received milk feeds while being given a blood transfusion, they were more likely to develop NEC than those who didn’t.”

Dr Banerjee thinks that when babies receive milk feeds at the same time as a transfusion, they are unable to absorb the oxygen from the new blood in their stomach because they are so fragile.

People who are born early are at risk of a variety of complications and health conditions from their earliest years and throughout adulthood, particularly at threat of cardiovascular disease.

A donor to the milk bank, Ashley, said she was so grateful for the care and attention she received from the NHS throughout both her pregnancies.

She said: “Being a donor allows me to say thank you in a less obvious way and in the comfort and privacy of my own home. There is quite a bit of time allocated to complete a donation so my advice to new donors would be to avoid putting pressure on yourself to donate in the shortest time possible.

“Your own baby should be the priority.”

The milk bank is supported by the Cosmic charity which supports the children’s and neonatal intensive care units at St Mary’s and Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea hospitals. It has helped fund a recent refurbishment of the milk bank.

“As we celebrate the 85th anniversary of this service, we want to say a huge thank you to all our wonderful donors who have helped our premature and sick babies and families over the years. Your donations have been lifesaving,” said Fiona Stubbs, lead nurse for neonates.

• Individuals who are interested in becoming milk bank donors can call the milk bank between 9.30am to 2pm on weekdays on 020 3313 3559, email imperial. milkbank@nhs.net, or visit imperial.nhs.uk website.