Urgent plea goes out for breast milk to help premature babies

CALGARY- An urgent call has gone out for breast milk donations, to help Alberta’s premature babies.

Since opening over two years ago, the Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank has pasteurized and distributed over 130-thousand ounces of milk to babies in need across the country. However, supply hasn’t been able to keep up with demand.

“Since 2012, our usage has gone up approximately three times but our donors have only increased by about twenty to thirty per cent,” explains Jannette Festival from Calgary Mother’s Milk Bank. “We’re trying to attract healthy moms who are breastfeeding their babies and who have excess milk that they could donate to us.”

Recipients are people like Amber Quarrington, whose milk didn’t come in right away after delivering premature twins back in January.

“This guy believe it or not was about four and a half pounds when he was born, and to lose weight would be very risk and a big step back,” she said, while looking down at one of her sons. “We were not aware that there was a milk bank, and they said ‘would you consent to donor milk?’ and I think I broke down crying and thanked them.”

She is now paying it forward.

“I made my first donation last month, and it was all frozen milk stores from when these guys were in the NICU.”

Click here for more information about how to donate.