Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week: Understanding breastmilk banking in South Africa
|Published
The first week of August marks World Breastfeeding Week, an annual event spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote and celebrate the significance of breastfeeding.
This year, the theme is “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All”, emphasising the importance of breastfeeding support to mothers of all backgrounds and circumstances.
The 2024 campaign aims to honour breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity, showcasing their journeys and the vital support they receive from families, communities, health workers, and society at large.
The goal is to ensure that every mother has the support she needs to breastfeed, regardless of her situation.
Breastfeeding has the power to act as a societal equaliser, providing all infants with the best start in life. However, to realise this potential, we must ensure that all mothers have access to the necessary support and opportunities to breastfeed.
Vulnerable mothers, in particular, need additional support to reduce breastfeeding inequalities.
The support for breastfeeding mothers includes several key components:
A Women and breastfeeding-friendly healthcare system: Ensuring that healthcare facilities provide an environment that supports and encourages breastfeeding.
Respect for women’s autonomy: Upholding a woman’s right to breastfeed any time and anywhere, without facing discrimination or obstacles.
Solidarity and community support: Building a supportive community that stands by breastfeeding mothers, offering encouragement and practical help.
Breastmilk Banking in South Africa
An essential aspect of supporting breastfeeding mothers is the availability of breastmilk banks. These banks provide a crucial service, particularly for premature and sick infants who may not be able to breastfeed directly.
Breastmilk banks collect, screen, pasteurise, and distribute donated breast milk to infants in need, ensuring they receive the vital nutrients and antibodies found in breast milk.
In support of Breastfeeding Awareness Week, here is a list of trusted human breastmilk banks across South Africa:
Milk Matters: Located in Mowbray Maternity Hospital Cape Town, Milk Matters provides pasteurised donor breastmilk to premature and ill infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) throughout the Western Cape.
iThemba Lethu: Based in Durban, iThemba Lethu runs a breastmilk bank that collects and distributes donor milk to vulnerable babies in KwaZulu-Natal.
South African Breastmilk Reserve (SABR): With multiple locations nationwide, SABR is one of the largest breastmilk banks in the country, supporting hospitals and NICUs across South Africa.
Netcare Breastmilk Bank: Operated by Netcare, this breastmilk bank serves infants in Netcare hospitals, ensuring that premature and ill babies have access to donor breast milk.
Below is a list of the milk banks in SA:
- Cecilia Makiwane: 4 Billie Road, Mdantsane, East London, 4820. Call 011 482 1967.
- Dora Nginza: Spondo Street, Zwide, PE,6005. Call 011 482 1967.
- Frontier Hospital: Kingsway Avenue, Queenstown, 5320. Call 011 482 1967..
- Nelson Mandela Hospital: Hospital Address: 71 Nelson Mandela Street, Umtata, 5099. Call 011 482 1967.
- St Elizabeth Hospital: Main Road, Lusikisiki, 4820. Call 011 482 1967.
- Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital: Chris Hani Road, Diepkloof, Soweto, 1862. Call 011 482 1967.
- Dr George Mukhari Hospital: 3111 Setlogelo Street, Ga-Rankuwa, 0208. Call 011 482 1967.
- Mediclinic Sandton: Cnr Peter Place and Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Bryanston. Call 011 482 1967.
- Midwives Exclusive: 38 Belrene Street, Rietondale, Pretoria. Call 011 482 196.
Breastmilk banks collect, screen, pasteurise, and store donated human milk. The process begins with mothers donating their excess milk, which undergoes rigorous testing to ensure safety.
After pasteurisation, the milk is stored and distributed to hospitals and families in need.
This system not only supports infants but also helps mothers who experience an oversupply of milk to contribute to the well-being of other babies.
Why support for breastmilk banks is essential
Access to breastmilk can significantly impact an infant's health, particularly for premature or ill babies. Breastmilk banks provide a lifeline for these infants, offering them a fighting chance at life. #
However, the success of these banks relies heavily on community support, donations and awareness.
In South Africa, breastmilk banks play a crucial role in supporting breastfeeding, especially for mothers who cannot breastfeed their babies due to health issues or other challenges.
These banks provide donated breastmilk to infants who need it, ensuring they receive the same nutritional benefits as those fed directly from their mothers.
The South African Breastmilk Reserve (SABR), one of the country's largest networks of milk banks, works tirelessly to supply donated breastmilk to neonatal intensive care units across the nation.
World Breastfeeding Week reminds us of the collective responsibility to support breastfeeding mothers. By promoting and supporting breastmilk banks, we can ensure every infant receives the best start in life while closing the gap in breastfeeding inequalities.