Mum donates over 160 pints of breast milk to help sick and premature babies
A new mum has donated more than 160 pints (90 litres) of breast milk to our Women's Hospital which has helped to nurse seriously ill babies across the West Midlands and beyond.
Emma Wilson, from Shropshire, decided to donate to the Human Milk Bank at the hospital after she saw first-hand mums of newborns struggling to feed their babies, whilst her own son Bertie was in our Children’s Hospital.
As he underwent life-saving treatment for Esophageal Atresia, which meant he was nil by mouth, her milk supply built up which led her to donating the excess she produced.
Reflecting on her family's journey, the 40-year-old mum said: "Bertie was so unwell and he struggled a lot with feeding. He went through so many ups and downs and ended up developing sepsis, which meant he had to go nil-by-mouth.
"Because of this, I was able to establish my own supply of breast milk to help him grow stronger to get ready for surgery.
"I watched other mothers struggling to express milk during an incredibly difficult time in their lives and I thought if I could provide enough milk for Bertie and have some left over, I wanted to help other parents going through such a stressful time."
Wanting to give back where she could, Emma signed up to become a donor in December last year and hopes to give 100 litres.
She said: "I got so much help from the infant feeding team when Bertie was first admitted. They helped me establish my supply and were so supportive and kind.
"Our surgeon also spoke a lot about the huge benefits of breast milk, so it only felt right to start donating."
The milk bank at Birmingham Women's Hospital is the only one in the West Midlands that provides donor breast milk to sick and premature babies within the region and in Wales.
To find out how to donate go to our website: Human Milk Bank | Birmingham Women's and Children's