Are you expecting twins/multiples or did you conceive via IVF?
If you are expecting more than one baby or you conceived via assisted conception, it can sometimes take a little longer to get started with breastfeeding, or for your milk supply to be fully established. Bright Start Islington and the Hearts Milk Bank can offer you extra support with your breastfeeding journey. This programme is funded by Islington’s Family Hubs, enabling parents to access tailored support alongside donor human milk if needed.
Your own milk is tailor-made to your baby’s needs for growth, development and immune protection. If your baby needs any extra milk while you are establishing your own milk supply, you may be able to access safe, screened donor human milk from The Hearts Milk Bank. Donor milk contains important components that are only found in breastmilk, and it can help to act as a bridge, giving you time and support to breastfeed your baby/babies.
For more information please call your local Bright Start Islington team on 020 3316 8441 or email: whh-tr.IslingtonInfantFeedingSpecialist@nhs.net
What is donor human milk?
Donor human milk is breastmilk that has been expressed by mothers who have more milk than their own babies need. When a mother cannot provide any or enough of her own breastmilk, donor milk is usually the preferred option because it is more easily digested and contains most of the important components that are only found in breastmilk. These help to protect your baby from infections and gut conditions, especially those born early or with health complications.
The use of donor milk alongside lactation support has been shown to help mothers go on to make enough of their own milk and to then breastfeed fully. All donor milk from the Hearts Milk Bank has been collected, stored and specially heat-treated in accordance with nationally agreed recommendations from NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).
You can read more about this guidance here: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg93.
Our donors
Mothers donate their extra milk when they have more milk than their baby needs. They are already making breast milk and kindly express and store their surplus milk for donation. They do not receive any payment for the milk. Becoming a milk donor is similar to becoming a blood donor. Donors are asked to complete a questionnaire and consent form and will then have a set of blood tests to screen for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C and HTLV.
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