Local mothers donate breastmilk

Stanger Hospital hosted a breast milk donor drive at Ballito Clinic on Monday, at the start of international Breastfeeding Week.

Mothers were educated on the benefits of breast milk and the value of donating it to vulnerable infants. Stanger Hospital chief dietitian Charlene Giovanelli-Nicholson thanked all the mums who turned out to donate. “Think of it as donating blood. It is a lifesaving resource that we are most grateful for, because there are many mums who would like to breastfeed but cannot.” Giovanelli-Nicholson runs the breast milk bank at the hospital, which opened a year ago and is flourishing well.

Groutville mum Sanelisiwe Mlambo has been donating breast milk since she gave birth 11 months ago. She was awarded a certificate of appreciation for being the most regular donor.

“What people do not think about is the mothers who cannot express milk, or who give birth at a young age and have to go back to school, or even those who die during childbirth. Those babies also deserve a fair chance and as a mother, I must do what I can to help. Donating milk is not a burden, it is a beautiful thing.”

Mlambo said there is a misconception that mothers who donate run out of breast milk for their own children.

“I look after my baby first but I have more than enough milk to spare. If you eat right you will be healthy enough.”

Sugardance owner Julie Robert, who recently gave birth to her second child, also stopped by to drop off some milk. “Knowing how small my son is and how much he needs breast milk, I think of mothers with premature babies who cannot express and I have to help. I am trying to get my body into a schedule so I can express enough to donate regularly.” Ballito private midwife Liza Harkess, who runs Ballito Babes, also encouraged mothers to donate.

“I think it is such a special way of giving back, a beautiful partnership between the private and government sectors. If a mum has enough milk to spare, it is worth considering.”