New breast milk donor service 'absolutely vital'

A new project will support mothers struggling to breastfeed as well as premature babies in need of breast milk.

Norfolk County Council said the donor scheme would also see a milk bank service expanded.

The council is working with the Human Milk Foundation (HMF) charity on a service that allowed other mothers to donate their own milk.

The HMF's Dr Natalie Shenker said the service was "absolutely vital".

She said it was particularly important to provide milk to premature babies, born three or four months early, with their mothers yet to establish their own supply of milk.

"If donor milk isn't available, babies sadly have a much higher risk of developing some really awful complications from being born too soon," she added.

Dr Shenker said women with extra milk to donate could contact the foundation, which aims to support up to 120 families in Norfolk.

The charity said all donors underwent blood tests, with donor milk pasteurised before being stored at a "milk hub" at Hellesdon Hospital in Norwich.

Agnieszka, a milk donor from Norwich, recently donated seven litres because she "wanted to make a difference".

"It was quick and easy to fill in the questionnaire and do my blood test, and before I knew I had a lovely volunteer at my doorstep to pick up my breast milk."

The council said Norfolk was the first county to pilot the new service.

Anne-Louise Schofield, from the authority's public health department, said donated milk would also help other mothers struggling to feed their newborns.

"About 70% of women commence breast feeding [after giving birth], but that drops down to around 52% of women who are able to sustain that after about six weeks," she said.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.