Supporting mothers, protecting babies for long-term health: establishing a pasteurised human milk bank

It is now very clear that early feeding practices have lifelong implications for an individual's health as well as economic and public health consequences. This article summarises some of the important reasons to prioritise breast milk feeding and introduces the Christchurch Neonatal Intensive Care Human Milk Bank. This Milk Bank was opened in 2014 to support babies and their families with the provision of pasteurised donor milk. The primary goals were to support mothers while they established their own milk supply, reduce exposure to parenteral nutrition and formula and reduce the risk of necrotising enterocolitis in this vulnerable population.