Experts in infant health are calling for a centralised, nationwide approach to human milk banks, aiming to improve access to pasteurised breast milk for vulnerable, premature newborns.
There are four established milk banks in New Zealand hospitals – alongside community-led milk banks – which exist to support babies whose mothers have not yet had their own breast milk come through or don’t produce enough.
However, two of the country’s largest neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), Starship and Middlemore, are operating without formal systems for sourcing and distributing breast milk.
Dr Gergely Toldi, a neonatologist at Starship Hospital, said with just four milk banks in the country, it’s a postcode lottery as to whether a newborn in the NICU can access breast milk.
“Imagine in 2025, needing a blood transfusion, and you walk into a hospital only to be told you can only get one if you’re based in Wellington, Christchurch, Palmerston North, or Whangārei,” he said.
He said it’s important unwell or premature babies in all hospitals have access to breast milk, which is considered “liquid gold”, for its numerous benefits to a baby’s health.
“Breast milk has several health benefits, including reducing the risk of allergies, autoimmune diseases, and obesity in later life. It’s good for the mother as well.”
Without a formal milk bank at Starship, parents or lactation consultants try to find mothers with excess milk supply if a baby is in need.
“It’s a difficult situation, and we rely on informal or peer-to-peer donation. Parents of babies who need milk identify someone who can supply it, or lactation consultants help facilitate these donations. But the main issue is that the supplies are not consistent or reliable enough.”
Without a milk bank at Starship Hospital, doctors have to choose which babies receive the small amount of breast milk that’s been supplied. “When I do my rounds, I often have four or five babies who need donor milk. Knowing they would all benefit from breast milk, it’s hard to have to make those decisions.”
Dr Toldi and other health professionals are calling for a national system, similar to what is in place in Australia, where milk banks are integrated into the Red Cross Blood Service. “What we need is a national system with formal arrangements — a well-established network of milk banks across the country,” he said.
Call for more donors
The Canterbury Waitaha Human Milk Bank was the first hospital milk bank in the country. Neonatal nurse manager Debbie O’Donoghue said how critical donor milk is for babies, particularly those in the neonatal unit.
“We all know breast milk is the best choice for any baby, especially for those in the neonatal unit who are more premature or unwell. These babies are a lot more vulnerable, with weaker immune systems and a higher risk of gut infections,” O’Donoghue said.
Last year, the Canterbury Waitaha Human Milk Bank supported 840 babies in the neonatal unit, with over 1200 litres of milk pasteurised. The need for milk continues to grow, and 2025 is proving to be an even busier year.
She said they’re always keen to hear from potential donors, and can support women by delivering supplies and picking up milk.
“To be able to give more, we need more donors, and we’d also need to be able to pasteurise more than the three days a week that we are currently resourced for.”
