According to Miracle Babies Foundation, around 8% of babies in Australia are born prematurely (before 37 weeks gestation) and approximately 15% require extra care at birth.

In Gold Coast University Hospital’s neonatal unit, premature and sick babies can stay in hospital for up to 20 weeks. In the cases where mother’s are unable to provide breast milk for these babies due to illness or other circumstances, donor breast milk can improve babies survival rates, reduce the length of their stay and help alleviate stress experienced by families.

Gold Coast City community charity Mothers Milk Bank provide pasteurised and screened donated breast milk to mothers in need and local and interstate hospitals, including Gold Coast University Hospital, to help premature and unwell babies thrive and grow and get home to their families.

The first community milk bank in Australia, Mothers Milk Bank are pioneering the breast milk vision, helping Mum’s and babies in Northern NSW, Gold Coast City and Brisbane, as well as interstate, as far as Canberra.

Relying on the support of the community, through generous financial donations, sponsors, supporters and of course, breast milk donors, Mothers Milk Bank have successfully established their service and are now registered as a Queensland Health charity organisation.

After 8 years of service, the team at Mothers Milk Bank say demand has never been higher.

Milk donations are always needed and breast feeding Mums who are able to are encouraged to consider donating to the bank. To find out how you can help fill the bank and fill the nutritional gaps for babies in need, visit Mothers Milk Bank – Donate

Further, current demand for services is unable to be met with the one pasteuriser, so Mothers Milk Bank are kicking off an appeal to raise $60,000 to purchase a much-needed additional pasteuriser.

To donate to this great cause and help Mothers Milk Bank continue to nourish the needy babies in Gold Coast City, visit Mothers Milk Bank – Support Us 

For more information, visit Mothers Milk Bank website or Facebook