A smooth pregnancy had Cindy Li dreaming of motherhood. But when she suddenly started bleeding at 32 weeks, her baby boy arrived early and needed breast milk that she couldnB次元官网网址檛 produce.

Li was grateful for milk donated by other moms as the best option compared with formula for little Ethan Liang, who was born on May 30 and spent the first month of his life at the neonatal intensive care unit at B.C. WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Vancouver.

B次元官网网址淚 thought if I was able to produce more than we need, I would love to contribute and give back as well,B次元官网网址� Li said from her home in Coquitlam, B.C.

SheB次元官网网址檚 been pumping milk and storing it in the freezer to help other babies and moms and is currently undergoing blood tests to ensure it is suitable, in keeping with routine policy at milk banks.

Frances Jones, co-ordinator of the milk bank at the hospital, said thereB次元官网网址檚 currently enough milk for another month, but a two- to three-month supply is optimal to ship to 14 neonatal intensive care units where the most fragile premature babies in the province need to be nourished.

About 25 per cent of the donated milk is used on maternity wards for babies who are very jaundiced, for example, and whose mothers are unable to produce enough of their own milk, she said.

Potential donors are screened for general health issues, the same as for donating blood, followed by blood tests.

Frozen breast milk can be dropped off at several health units or hospitals in the province, except in northern B.C. ItB次元官网网址檚 then shipped to B.C. WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital, from where it is distributed after being tested, defrosted, bottled, pasteurized and labelled, Jones said.

B次元官网网址淭he research does clearly indicate that for a premature baby, their risk of certain disorders like a bowel disease is significantly less if they have breast milk,B次元官网网址� she said.

Three other milk banks in Canada provide breast milk B次元官网网址� in Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

Jannette Festival, founder and executive director of the North Star Mothers Milk Bank in Calgary, said itB次元官网网址檚 the only such independent milk bank in Canada.

Festival said she saw the need for a donated supply of breast milk while working as a nurse in a neonatal intensive care unit.

B次元官网网址淲e cover all the provinces that donB次元官网网址檛 have milk banks,B次元官网网址� she said of the bank.

It has been operating for 11 years and uses social media to reach new moms.

B次元官网网址淲e have enough milk, but I hate to say that because itB次元官网网址檚 like blood donations. You never say B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址檙e taken care ofB次元官网网址� because it can turn quite quickly, especially if you get into flu season and moms are sick, canB次元官网网址檛 breastfeed or B次元官网网址� when babies get sick. Oftentimes, they need extra milk.B次元官网网址�

The bank, with 11 depots in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, typically has about 650 women donating milk, Festival said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little bit better than blood donations, which can be one-time. But with milk donations, sometimes we have our moms for a full year.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擟amille Bains, The Canadian Press