have heard of milk banks in the States. i've been pumping and freezing, but since my baby can't even finish the milk in the fridge, i've been throwing out frozen milk the past few months (quite a bit, about 100oz per month) and it really sucks to be throwing out 'liquid gold' like that. i've heard about friends who has donated breast milk (e.g. to infants who need it but couldn't get it otherwise). any ideas on if there are channels who would accept breast milk donations? any hospitals? LLL has any ideas?
(breast) milk bank
- Thread starter kellyst
- Start date
The main reason that there are no milk banks in Hong Kong is because there isn?t the political will amongst the doctors to do it. Milk banking is no more complicated that blood banking.
The doctors in Hong Kong see a huge need for human blood to save lives but unfortunately they don?t see the same need for human milk to save lives.
I went to a lecture given by Gillian Weaver, a founding member of the UK Association of Milk Banking, when she visited Hong Kong in 2003. Unfortunately there were no doctors in the audience only Lactation Consultants and LLL Leaders.
In the lecture she told us that the best way to convince doctors was for them to see the benefits with their own eyes. Visiting doctors to her hospital in London are amazed at how much better ill and premature babies do on human milk rather than formula (even though this is a very well researched topic) and they take the message back to their hospitals. Unfortunately this means we need a milk bank first to show the benefits.
A Leader who is now living in Shanghai wrote an article for our Asian Leaders Magazine a few years ago about milk banking. If you are interested in a copy please e-mail at [email protected]
Best wishes,
SARAH
The doctors in Hong Kong see a huge need for human blood to save lives but unfortunately they don?t see the same need for human milk to save lives.
I went to a lecture given by Gillian Weaver, a founding member of the UK Association of Milk Banking, when she visited Hong Kong in 2003. Unfortunately there were no doctors in the audience only Lactation Consultants and LLL Leaders.
In the lecture she told us that the best way to convince doctors was for them to see the benefits with their own eyes. Visiting doctors to her hospital in London are amazed at how much better ill and premature babies do on human milk rather than formula (even though this is a very well researched topic) and they take the message back to their hospitals. Unfortunately this means we need a milk bank first to show the benefits.
A Leader who is now living in Shanghai wrote an article for our Asian Leaders Magazine a few years ago about milk banking. If you are interested in a copy please e-mail at [email protected]
Best wishes,
SARAH
kellyst,
i have been throwing out bagfuls of my breastmilk too due to space limitation in my freezer. What a waste! let me know if you find some place that will take them in. I want to donate my milk too.
Incidentally, can babies take breastmilk that are not their mum's? any compatibility issues? I have friends who don't mind giving my milk to their babies but we are concerned of adverse reactions.
i have been throwing out bagfuls of my breastmilk too due to space limitation in my freezer. What a waste! let me know if you find some place that will take them in. I want to donate my milk too.
Incidentally, can babies take breastmilk that are not their mum's? any compatibility issues? I have friends who don't mind giving my milk to their babies but we are concerned of adverse reactions.
mummybee, still hasn't found anything. but i have heard that there should not be compatibility issues in normal cases. i knew of a friend, who has contact with a lactation consultant, who in turn knew of mothers who needed breast milk, and she donated some. and also have anecdotal stories from another mom who breastfed both her own and her brother-in-law's baby, who's around the same age.
so have heard of plenty of cases where it should be ok. i'm trying to cut down on the pumping now to reduce output, but it's taking forever!! any ideas to help with that much much welcome, have tried the Chinese 'dou see' way, doesn't seem to be helping too much... i'm just trying to pump less gradually, but it's a SLOOOW process.
so have heard of plenty of cases where it should be ok. i'm trying to cut down on the pumping now to reduce output, but it's taking forever!! any ideas to help with that much much welcome, have tried the Chinese 'dou see' way, doesn't seem to be helping too much... i'm just trying to pump less gradually, but it's a SLOOOW process.
do you still nurse your baby at night? i used to get up every night at midnight & 3am to pump from 1-3 mths. so i maintain quite a good supply.
then from 3-9mths, used to empty my breasts every midnight by hand-express (which i find drains the breast better) and i would end up having 15oz at night (so around 7oz each side), where my baby only drinks 5oz.
so i ended up having 2 big boxes of frozen milk in the freezer which i used when i started weaning her.
then from 3-9mths, used to empty my breasts every midnight by hand-express (which i find drains the breast better) and i would end up having 15oz at night (so around 7oz each side), where my baby only drinks 5oz.
so i ended up having 2 big boxes of frozen milk in the freezer which i used when i started weaning her.
While it is true that any human milk is better for a baby than artificial milk. The best milk for a baby is the baby?s own mother?s milk. If this is not possible then the next best is milk from a mother with the same age baby and the same prematurity. This is why milk banks go to a lot of trouble to match donors and receivers, even though all names are kept confidential.
Best wishes,
SARAH
Best wishes,
SARAH
babi77, to get a good freezer stock, I pump right after baby has first feed in the morning when my breasts are the fullest and milk the creamiest and baby only empties one boob. I pump again after baby takes last bedtime feed at 9-10pm (ie baby feeds at 8pm, i wait 1-2 hours letting boobs "fill up"). IF I FEEL LIKE IT, I would pump 2am (not much milk) and/or 5am. Do be relaxed about the whole thing. I have tiny breasts (really) and can only pump 30-100mls total per session. Constantly worry that I don't have enough milk for my baby and look what happens - still have plenty to THROW away at the end of the day!?
If $ is not too big an issue, I recommend you getting the double Lactina Medela pump. I used to use the single electric pump which only draws out measly 20-30mls pooled from both breasts. The trick, i find, is the double pump. during a letdown, pumping both boobs at the same time can really extract far more milk than if you use single pump.
If I can do it with my teeny bitsy boobs, so can anyone! Good luck!!
If $ is not too big an issue, I recommend you getting the double Lactina Medela pump. I used to use the single electric pump which only draws out measly 20-30mls pooled from both breasts. The trick, i find, is the double pump. during a letdown, pumping both boobs at the same time can really extract far more milk than if you use single pump.
If I can do it with my teeny bitsy boobs, so can anyone! Good luck!!