Icelandic mothers whose babies are born prematurely may now be given breast milk from Denmark, says the country’s number one neonatal unit.
Reykjavik’s Landspitali National University Hospital revealed that it has opted to import Danish supplies for mothers who were not able to breastfeed their prematurely-born babies.
The hospital’s directory of neonatology Thordur Thorkelsson explained that prematurely-born babies’ organs are not as developed as they should which means there is a higher chance they can become infected with diseases. He explained that the active enzymes contained in breast milk help the gut mature and protect the babies from infection.
He went on to say, however, that some mothers whose babies are premature are unable to breastfeed because they may be unwell of have pre-eclampsia, which can affect their ability to feed their newborns.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that if a mother is not able to breastfeed then the next best option is breast milk from ‘milk banks’. First established in 1909, the milk banks are becoming ever more popular. However, Iceland is the only country in the Nordics that doesn’t have one.
Thorkelsson said that Iceland is small and there are only around 250 prematurely born babies annually, so the milk banks are not economically feasible. He added that most mothers in Iceland breastfeed so milk only needs to be brought in for those that need it.
Hvidovre Hospital, just outside Copenhagen, collects around 5,000 litres of breast milk annually. Mothers who express 200ml or more a day can contribute and sell surplus amounts for 200 Danish kroner per litre provided they are non-smokers and pass blood tests and screenings.
Thorkelsson explained that it is then frozen at -18C before being flown over. He said they could store it for as long as six months but could also order it one day and receive it the next, adding that it may be expensive but it’s cheaper than having their own milk banks.