A HEALTH trust is appealing to new mothers to donate breast milk to a service which helps sick and premature babies across Ireland.
Located at the South West Acute Hospital in the Western trust, the Human Milk Bank provides supplies to hospital neo-natal units but is currently low in stock.
The all-island service has been in operation for 19 years and was forced to shut for eight months last year after bacteria was discovered in the water supply.
Jacinta Boyle, co-ordinator of the bank said they were very grateful to all the mothers who donate milk but said there was always the need to recruit new donors.
"Donors are required to be registered by the time baby reaches three-months-old and once registered the bank will accept milk donations up until the sixth month," she said.
"All milk donations received must be in sterile milk bottles when expressed and donated into the service within three months of expression. Donors must be non-smokers, not had a blood transfusion, are not on drugs that pass into breast milk and not had a tattoo, body piercing or acupuncture in the last year and are in good health."
Ms Boyle stressed the importance of human milk for premature babies as it contains substances that fight viruses and bacteria as well as protecting them from pneumonia and septicaemia.
"It has unique fats that help the immature brain, eye and nervous system develop better for improved intellect and sight, but probably most important for the premature baby it helps to protect the immature gut from Necrotizing Entero Colitis (NEC), a life threatening condition where the gut rupture," she added.
If you would like to donate telephone (028) 6862 8333 or email TMB.SWAH@westerntrust.hscni.net.
