– Breast milk is medicine for the small and sick babies we have here. That’s according to the head of the mother’s milk bank at UNN in Tromsø, Anne-Mette Thoresen. This winter, she was worried that they would run out of milk at the bank. – Now and then a new donor comes in, but the trend is that there is less milk, she says. The mother’s milk bank at UNN is one of 12 in the country, and the one located furthest north. In Finnmark, they do not have their own bank, although they have their own newborn unit in Hammerfest. – We would like to have a bigger bank, so we could send milk there and to other places in northern Norway, says Thoresen. She believes that it can be vital to give breast milk to premature babies. At Nordlandssykehuset in Bodø they also have a milk bank, but here the milk is not transported to other hospitals either. The head of the mother’s milk bank at UNN in Tromsø, Anne-Mette Thoresen, hopes more mothers will donate breast milk. Photo: Ingrid Wester Amndsen / news The white blood At Hammerfest hospital, they accept sick newborns and premature children born from week 32 onwards. As of today, it is not relevant to set up a milk bank there, says Lena Jensen, deputy head of unit at the children’s and youth unit in Finnmark Hospital. – In addition, the patient base on the neonatal unit varies greatly, especially for children born up to week 32. We more often have premature children born from weeks 34-35, she says. The premature babies at the hospital in Hammerfest receive breast milk substitute adapted to premature babies, until the mother has started her own milk production. Children born before week 32 are, however, sent to UNN. But the national objective is that all newborns should be offered banked milk, if the mother cannot breastfeed even in the first period for various reasons. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that all children should receive breast milk for the entire first year of life. Photo: Ingrid Wester Amundsen / news Breast milk reduces the risk of infections and serious intestinal diseases, which particularly affect children born prematurely. Breast milk is often referred to by professionals as “the white blood”. The guidelines from the Norwegian Directorate of Health state that all children should, if possible, receive breast milk for the entire first year of life and preferably longer. In addition, it is recommended that breast-fed newborns should not be given any form of nutrition or drink other than breast milk, except when there is a medical reason to do so. – It’s a great way to get in immune substances. The very smallest babies we have absolutely need mother’s milk, but it is also important for the slightly larger newborns, says Thoresen. Each year, up to 500 newborns receive breast milk from around 30 donors at UNN in Tromsø. Photo: Ingrid Wester Amundsen / news – It should have been paid a little better During the pandemic, it was sometimes difficult to raise enough breast milk in several places in the country. In Northern Norway, there is still a great need for more donors. One of the welcome donors who provides breast milk is Vilde Buajore Leithe. Since she became a mother of two in April, she has donated over 20 liters to UNN in Tromsø. She wanted to donate breast milk when she had her first child, but didn’t have the money to do so then. But when number two came, it got better. – She is a bit calmer than the first man, so now I have the energy for that. Leithe hopes more mothers choose to donate if they have the opportunity. – There are many people who need the milk, and the need is not met, she says. The mother of small children thinks it would have been wise to have more information about milk donation at health centres. – All monners leave. If everyone had contributed a little, it would have meant a lot, she says. Leithe is clear on what should be done to tempt more people to donate their breast milk. – It should have been paid a little better. Then several people could earn a little extra money, while at the same time helping those in need. Vilde Buajore Leithe believes that more information and better pay will make more mothers become donors. Photo: Mari Elise Nordgård / news Norway is the best in the world Anne Marie Grøvslien works at Oslo University Hospital and is head of the country’s milk banks. She says that they have a good supply of breast milk in most places, including in Oslo. But there is a common feature that repeats itself among the donors. – Very often there is someone who has a connection to us, it could be, for example, that they are related to someone who works here, she says. Grøvslien is also a member of Ammehjelpen and Norway’s representative in the European Milk Bank Association (EMBA). – My goal is that all children in Norway should have breast milk as their first meal. Regardless of whether they are healthy or ill, or whether they are in Fredrikstad or Hammerfest, she says. Norway is the country with the highest incidence of milk banks per inhabitant. Here from the milk bank in Tromsø. Photo: Ingrid Wester Amundsen / news Norway is the country in the world with the best coverage of milk banks, but there are several other countries that struggle to get enough donor milk. Grøvslien points out that Norway is in a special position, but does not think it is wise for us to send milk across national borders. – We have several holes to plug in Norway, before we start distributing the milk to the rest of the world, she says. – But what we have done is share our knowledge. For example, we have been involved in building up milk banks in India. Anne Marie Grøvslien at Oslo University Hospital says that Norway has good coverage of breast milk in the banks, but that there are still gaps to fill. Photo: Mother’s milk bank
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– It is medicine for small babies – news Troms and Finnmark
