Human Milk Banking

Why we need one

Tara’s Story: My son was born 3 weeks early by emergency C-section due to my high blood pressure. After his birth I had full intentions of breastfeeding him for as long as possible, as I knew that it was the healthiest option for him. After a few days of trying we realized that he wasn't getting any milk and I was encouraged to finger feed him via a tube with formula until my milk came in. We proceeded to keep breastfeeding and finger feeding for 2 weeks after his birth. At this point my doctor put me on the drug Domperidone in order to help bring in my milk, however it didn't work for me and I had no choice but to turn to bottle-feeding with formula. If Saskatoon had a Breast Milk Bank I would have had the opportunity to give my son breast milk and do the best thing for his health. I would love to see a Breast Milk Bank in Saskatoon so that mothers who can't breast feed, for whatever reason, would have access to breast milk for their babies.

  • Sometimes breastfeeding is challenging, some donor human milk may be needed to feed baby until breastfeeding is established.

    Share your Mama Story about donating or needing donor breastmilk.

  • Human milk can be donated or purchased through Calgary’s Northern Star Mothers Milk Bank. Human milk can be purchased at a Moose Jaw Pharmacy at this time.

    There are Milk Drops in Saskatoon, Regina and Yorkton where you can donate your ‘liquid gold’. The milk is shipped to Northern Star Mothers Milk Bank for pasteurization. Donor milk is then purchased by hospitals and parents in Canada.

    Milk sharing through informal channels is happening in Saskatchewan. This human milk is not processed to ensure safety.

    Share your Mama Story about donating or using donor human milk. Your mama friends want to know!

  • Exclusive breastfeeding – which includes providing donor milk – reduces the risks of necrotizing enterocolitis among pre-term infants, and among full-term infants, breastfeeding reduces the risk of acute ear infection, eczema, diarrhea & vomiting, hospitalization for lower respiratory tract diseases in the first year, asthma, childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelogeneous leukemia and sudden infant death syndrome.

    Replace with Lancet Article….US Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, 2011

Local Progress

  • December 2015: Saskatoon City Centre Physicians clinic opens the city’s first Milk Drop described in Saskatoon’s Star Phoenix.

    April 2015: Both Saskatchewan NICUs (in Saskatoon and in Regina) started offering pasteurized donor human milk to babies who need it. The milk purchased from Calgary's Northern Star Mother's Milk Bank.

    Members of our local subcommittee presented the business and operational plans for a Milk Bank to Regina Qu'appelle Health Region leaders.

    Ongoing: searching for additional milk depot locations in Saskatoon and across Saskatchewan.

  • 2 human milk depots set up in the Regina area. Depots are supported by Calgary Mother's Milk Bank, and are located in the Regina General Hospital NICU and at the South Pasqua Medical Centre.

    Ongoing discussions with Saskatoon Health Region regarding support of a milk bank

  • November 2013: Establishment of a Coordinating Group to maintain communications with various stakeholders across Saskatchewan

    November 2013: Saskatoon StarPhoenix wrote a story on the need for a milk bank.

    Fall 2013: Business & operational plans developed

    Education: members of our subcommittee presented at various conferences and meetings, including:

    • POGO Women & Children’s Health Conference (February 2013)

    • Nature’s Way Breastfeeding Conference (May 2013)

    • Family Physicians Saskatoon

    Spring & Summer 2013 (& ongoing): Building representation of professionals to advisory board

    May 2013: Hosted a “Milk Bank Mixer”: a social event to bring a variety of diverse stakeholders together to continue to build momentum and energy to establish a milk bank in Saskatchewan

    April 2013: Set up social media: www.facebook.com/milkbanksaskatchewan (link suspended)

  • November 15, 2012: Subcommittee presented at Pediatric Grand Rounds, a monthly lecture series for pediatric professionals across Saskatchewan. Comments from the audience included, “Let’s get this going!”, and “What are our next steps?”

    November 6, 2012: Members of Breastfeeding Matters, a community-based organization of mothers and health professionals, met with the Minister of Health, the Honorable Dustin Duncan, to discuss the need for a milk bank in Saskatchewan. He was open to the idea, and asked for further information and a proposal.

    September 20, 2012: Feasibility paper endorsed by the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute Medical Advisory Committee.

    September 2012: Launch of the petition to return a milk bank to Saskatchewan . Signatures collected.

    February 15, 2012: The Department of Pediatrics, and Division of Neonatology in Saskatoon Health Region provided written support for a donor human milk bank. “We are very interested in having this resource in our health region, and will welcome such a facility.”

  • Human Milk Bank Subcommittee formed

Members of the milk bank subcommittee preparing to present at Pediatric Grand Rounds