For a mother who is unable to supply breastmilk to meet her baby’s nutritional needs, donated human milk is the next best option for her baby. The Mothers’ Milk Bank has been established to give parents the choice of donated breastmilk when the mother’s own milk is not available.
The Mothers’ Milk Bank collects, screens, pasteurises and distributes donated human milk to infants and mothers in need. It supports mothers who are unable to supply their own milk at the time of their baby’s birth. It supports mothers who encounter difficulties with lactation at a later stage of their child’s development and may require support to maintain a breastmilk supply until able to return to fully breastfeeding their baby. If their infant is also sick, premature or of multiple births, breastmilk may be an essential factor for their baby’s survival and an especially important contributor to their recovery, optimum growth and development, and lifelong health outcomes. In this scenario, the Mothers’ Milk Bank provides a vital health service for infants whose recovery and long term health may be compromised by introducing artificial supplements at such an early stage of life.
The Mothers’ Milk Bank is the first community based milk bank in Australia. It has been set up and is exclusively run by volunteers, both health professionals and other members of the community. As a independent, not-for-profit organisation, it operates as a charity affiliated with the Enterprise Foundation. Located in Banora Point, midway between the Tweed and Gold Coasts, the Mothers’ Milk Bank presently services the northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland regions, including the metropolitan areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
To provide families with the option of donor mothers’ milk when needed and to see babies exclusively receiving breastmilk from birth to six months of age.
To support the guidelines established by the WHO (World Health Organisation) and UNICEF, along with the Australian federal and state governments, which state that the nutritional needs of a baby are only fully met when given human milk in the first six months of life, and if a child continues to receive human milk along with the introduction of other foods until two years of age.
Our mission is to increase the proportion of Australian infants exclusively breastmilk feeding in the first six months of life by making available to infants, screened and pasteurised donated human milk if their own mother is unable to breastfeed or supply breastmilk of her own.
To provide donated milk for as many infants in need as possible, and to advocate and work towards an Australian Mothers’ Milk Banking Association (AMMBA) with a network of both community and hospital based milk banks around Australia within ten years.
The Mothers' Milk Bank welcomes all enquiries. Please contact us if you require donor milk for your infant, wish to donate breastmilk, wish to become a Mothers' Milk Bank financial sponsor, or would like to receive further information about this vital health initiative.
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