Rotary Community Breast Milk Bank opens at St George’s Hospital

After nearly three years of planning, the Rotary Community Breast Milk Bank – the first of its kind in New Zealand – has opened at St George’s Hospital. Yvonne Hiskemuller, midwife and advocate for women and their newborns, has been working alongside Carol Bartle, lactation consultant and midwife, and a committee of passionate supporters, to provide the first community-based Breast Milk Bank.

Donated raw milk is frozen, pasteurised, checked and then given to parents and caregivers, free of charge. “It is wonderful that we now have a community based milk bank as this gives any baby, who meets the criteria, the opportunity of a short term gift of breast milk which helps to support his/ her mother to establish her milk supply,” says Yvonne.

St George’s Hospital supports the initiative by offering a place to house the Milk Bank, at no cost. St George’s Management and the Maternity Centre appreciate all the hard work, expertise and time it has taken to ensure the community based Milk Bank is established.