As Ireland has announced that their one and only Milk Bank has just a two week supply left, I thought it would be a good time to share the news on my latest local quest.
Donating breast milk to local hospitals in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. As we do not have a maternity unit in Newmarket you could choose between donating your milk to West Suffolk Hospital or The Rosie at Addenbrookes… or both! (All of the admin is managed by the team at The Rosie.)
Over 12lbs at 9 weeks old, AB and I have s
ettled into a good feeding routine leaving me feeling confident and keen to share my gold top goods!
Donating breast milk to our local milk bank has been incredibly easy to kick-start and simply requires an email, blood test and a breast pump.
I will share further news on the experience in a few weeks time but here is all you need to know on how to donate breast milk to local hospitals.
Email Janette (janette.clark@addenbrookes.nhs.uk) confirming the following information:
I can confirm that I have not had a tattoo in the last 12 months or a blood transfusion in the last 3 months.ย
Name:
Address:
DOB:
NHS Number:
Child’s name:
Following this you will be invited for a blood test and given a large supply of milk storage bottles.
Newmarket does not have a milk collection service yet (maybe this will be my next quest) so the only catch is that you will have to deliver your milk to the hospital every four to six weeks.
Tempted but not sure if you should donate too?
Breast milk banks are one of the reasons that more premature babies are surviving.
The BBC article explains;
“For these tiny, tiny little ones – breast milk is liquid gold, it’s liquid medicine,” said Ms McCrea.
“It’s human milk that gets their gut primed, it’s human milk that fights any infections that they can get. It constantly changes to fight all the new infections that they’re liable to have.”
She added that in some cases, donated milk could mean “the difference between life and death”.
Let us know if you will be donating your breast milk to the local milk banks too!ย
What is it?ย Newmarket Breastfeeding Support Group
Where is it?ย The Stables, Newmarket High Street
How much is it?ย Free
When is it?ย Wednesday mornings from 10:00am onwards – we stayed for two hours.
Where to park?ย On the high street (if you are lucky) or for 60p you can park in the car park behind TK Maxx for 2 hours.
Pro’s:ย This free support class is the perfect place to chat about the painful yet rewarding reality of breastfeeding. What’s more, the ladies are all incredibly friendly and welcoming.
Con’s:ย Nothing springs to mind – the group is relaxed and laid back. There isn’t a group leader setting out activities for the LO’s or demanding that specific boob-related topics are discussed. As the founder Hannah states; “Currently can only offer advice based on our own experiences and point in the direction of breastfeeding clinics or private lactation consultants, however as some of you know, I’m hoping to do some training soon.”
What did AB think to it?ย She fed immediately then slept for over an hour so clearly felt relaxed. The atmosphere was so chilled out that AB even felt comfortable enough to lay on the mat on her back for 15 minutes. (This never happens at home!)
What did Mummy think to it?ย The groupย and the closed Facebook page are fantastic. You will get a feel for the informative yet relaxed style of the group by adding yourself to their Facebook page. We struggle to get up, dressed and out of the house before midday but I am so glad we got into gear this morning. Despite what you might think, it’s not all about boobs! We also discussed (/moaned about) baby weight gain, other classes, prams, white noise, baby massage and sleep – or lack of!
Was any cake involved?ย Yes! The group now takes over a whole room right next to the cafe. The hot drinks and cake are much cheaper than other high street coffee shops, the queue to order is always very short and they will bring your goodies into the room so there is no waiting around.
Score out of 10:ย 10/10
I appreciate that some people can’t and respect that others might not want to but I am such a huge breastfeeding advocate! Read some of the benefits here.
Breastfeeding is by far the most challenging but rewarding task I have ever done. Latches, blocked ducts and painful let downs were just a few challenges I faced (and by the sounds of things I got off lightly)ย but this pain was nothing when compared to the priceless one on one moments I share with AB whilst I fill her with the very best nutritents the world can offer. (In six weeks AB has already gained over 3lbs!)
Don’t struggle-Get local support in Newmarketย
The lovely Hannah became a Newmarket Mum in September 2016 and has recently set up a closed Facebook group called “Newmarket Breastfeeding Support Group.” Search for the group on Facebook and join us!
The group promotes a Newmarket weekly breastfeeding coffee morning where Mums can “meet up, have a drink, talk about boobs and feed…in a safe space.” Come along on a Wednesday between 10:00 and 11:30 at The Stables on Newmarket high street.
Also worth mentioning isย BellyBelly,ย an Australian site that I have used a lot both during pregnancy and now. They offer broad advice on many topics including breastfeeding.
The Horses Mouth 