'It's just like buying a carton of milk': Yorkton health centre offers donated breast milk

Mothers in the Yorkton area have an option for giving their babies breast milk now, even if they can't breastfeed themselves.

"It doesn't happen frequently but there are situations in which, for whatever reason, breast milk production is delayed," explainedCarolee Zorn, manager of the pediatrics department at Yorkton Regional Health Centre.

"Some women want their babies to have breast milk. We're just happy to be able to give them that choice."

Two years ago, a group of interested mothers in the area raised money to get a milk depot going they had extra breast milk they had pumped and didn't want to go to waste, Zorn explained.

Yorkton's health centre opened the milk depot and passed on the donated milk to NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank in Calgary. The milk is pasteurized, sterilizedand used for premature or sick infants.

Last December, Yorkton Regional Health Centre started buying milk back, to help mothers who wanted to provide their babies breast milk, but couldn't do so.

While formula can be substitute for breast milk, Zorn notes human milk is easier on a baby's intestinal system, and helps build up infants' antibodies and immunity.

It's been treated and it's safe to use. Ithink it's going to catch on.- CaroleeZorn, YorktonRegional Health Centre

She encouraged breastfeeding mothers who want to help out to get in touch with the health centre or NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank, to go through the screening process to donate.

So far, the reaction to the offering has been mixed, as most people aren't used to the idea of drinking pasteurized human milk, said Zorn. But she feels as though it's a matter of time before people embrace it.

"It's just like buying a carton of milk from the store. It's been treated and it's safe to use," she said.

"I think it's going to catch on."