On Monday 30 March Hearts Milk Bank has opened a new donor milk hub at The QEH to help unwell or premature babies and mothers facing feeding difficulties.
Donor milk can help support babies in their growth and development and in preventing complications, while also supporting mothers who need time to establish their own milk supply.
Thanks to funding from Best Start in Life, donor human milk from the new hub will also be made available to families through a pioneering community programme being run by the Human Milk Foundation team.
Through the programme, families with diabetes and other health conditions have access to specialist lactation support alongside donor milk where required, helping them to meet their breastfeeding goals.
The new donor milk hub at The QEH will make it easier for local parents to donate their surplus breast milk, increasing provision of donor milk within the region.
Located on-site at The QEH, the hub will facilitate increased access to donor human milk for families living in Norfolk, with particular benefit to families in King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.
Donor milk can provide vital support for families facing challenges, including mothers with conditions such as diabetes, those that are unable to breastfeed, or babies that are born early and will complement the existing milk bank used by neonatal services.
Norfolk Blood Bikes will play a key role in supporting the service by transporting donor milk efficiently to the hospital and families. Through the wider Hearts Milk Bank network, donor milk is already provided to babies receiving care at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital as well as James Paget University Hospital.
All milk donors undergo full screening including blood tests, and donor milk is pasteurised at the Hearts Milk Bank headquarters in Hertfordshire. After microbiology testing, milk is transported to the regional hubs in Norwich, where it is stored in specialist freezers before distribution.
This investment marks an important step in increasing equitable access to donor human milk, supporting families and improving outcomes for vulnerable babies across Norfolk.
Esther Dorken, Head of Midwifery at The QEH, said: “Breast milk has long-term benefits for babies and can improve long-term development outcomes. This new milk hub provides access to breast milk for babies that otherwise would not have received it.
“We are proud to host the new Hearts Milk Hub here at our hospital and would like to thank everyone that donates – it really makes a difference to the babies and their families at a difficult time.”
Jess and Connor, parents who received donor milk and lactation support from the team through the Norfolk program. said “I would never have been able to achieve my feeding goals for my baby without the Human Milk Foundation. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to receive such incredible support. It was such a relief to know my baby could receive breast milk from birth despite medical complications delaying my milk supply.
“The support my family received from the Human Milk Foundation was phenomenal. Their support took a lot of stress and pressure off of my partner following a tricky pregnancy and postpartum period; plugging the gaps whilst her milk came in and allowing us to achieve our goals of breastfeeding our boy. I cannot thank them enough.”
Gillian Weaver MBE, Co-Founder of The Hearts Milk Bank said: “We are grateful to Norfolk County Council and Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn for their support which has enabled our new donor milk hub to open. The Human Milk Foundation is committed to building a truly equitable service, and we are delighted that the new donor milk hub in Kings Lynn will enable more families in the region to donate and access donor human milk for their babies.”
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