B.C. milk bank urging mothers to donate breast milk

The BC Women's Hospital Provincial Milk Bank is looking to double the amount of donors it has to keep up with a growing need for breast milk. 

The province has only one milk bank and its demand is far greater than its supply, according to Kirsten Veldman, a registered nurse and lactation consultant at BC Women’s Hospital and a milk bank screener for its Provincial Milk Bank.

“We have been able to reach and screen less than one per cent of those that have given birth in 2022, and we’d like that number to increase,” said Veldman.

There are currently 330 registered donors in B.C., but she hopes that number can grow to 660.

“We do realize that it does take some work and take some effort, but we are so grateful to our donors,” she said. “Human milk protects babies’ immune systems, and most babies who receive this milk are critically ill and the most fragile population in B.C., and we want to protect their immune system.”

There are about 13,000 ounces of milk in stock, but the bank distributes about 16,000 ounces per month.

“We will have turn people away and we don’t want to, but we do that because our milk has to be prioritized.”

New mom Lisa Naylor was able to rely on the bank’s supply after her daughter was born at just 27 weeks.

“Because of the emergency C-section that I had, my milk didn’t automatically come,” said Naylor.

Her daughter Everely was classified as a “micro-preemie.”

“I didn’t even realize that babies born at 27 or 25 weeks or something that early might not survive if they didn’t have the breast milk; formula is just so strong on their guts,” she said.

Her daughter was in the NICU when she started to be able to breast feed, and ended up producing more than what was need.

“I was like, well I’m amply feeding her and have a huge supply of storage and I may as well start looking at donating.”

She ended up buying a six foot deep freeze to fill with her unused breast milk -- donating more than 101 litres.

“It was a silver lining to a really tumultuous time in our life, to know I was able to give and be able to physically see the babies I was able to help,” she said.

“It’s one of the most rewarding feelings.”

Women interested in donating can fill out an application form at BCWomens.ca