As the only community-based milk bank in Canada, we are advocates for sick and fragile babies. Research shows donor human milk provides the healthiest option to newborns and premature babies who spend time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Many sick and fragile babies depend on donor human milk for its life-saving health benefits.

The benefits of donor human milk:

• Lowers infection rates by transferring antibodies to fight disease
• Decreases length of stay in the NICU
• Decreases incidence of feeding intolerance and diarrhea
• Decreases the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) – a potentially blinding eye disease that is primarily seen in premature babies
• Lowers the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) – the most fatal gastrointestinal infection in the NICU

Who receives our milk? Predominantly hospitalized babies that:

• Were born premature
• Do not have access to mother’s own milk (adoption, surrogacy, mastectomy, breast reduction, illness)
• Do not have safe access to mother’s milk (mother has infectious disease, illness, undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatments)
• Have gastrointestinal and digestive issues
• Require donor human milk as part of post-operative care
• Have been diagnosed with a chronic illness or compromised immune system
• Are a twin or multiple (low milk supply)
• Require donor human milk as a bridge until their mothers’ milk comes in

We are always in need of healthy breastfeeding mothers and help from community partnerships:

• Volunteer Milk Donors: We rely on our medically-screened volunteer milk donors to pump and donate their milk which can then be pasteurized and tested before being shipped to the NICU. Last year we had over 600 volunteer donors that helped us to meet this need.
• Milk Drops: Outside of the Calgary area, Milk Drops are available as locations for approved donor moms to drop off their donations. These partnerships with health regions and doctors offices are essential as they increase community awareness for milk banking and make it easier for moms to donate.
• Transfer of Milk: All of our donations are kept frozen until the pasteurization process. This requires timely transport using a variety of local and national couriers.

For women who cannot nurse as a result of a low milk supply, necessary medication usage, illness, adoption or surrogacy, we make it possible for all at-risk NICU babies to receive human milk.