This afternoon, I popped out to get some milk for Amelia. Nothing particularly special about that. It’s part of everyday life. But something powerful happened on the way home.
I spotted an NHS motorbike. Now, I know to most people, it just looks like another emergency services bike zipping around town – but I knew exactly what that bike was doing. That’s a blood bike. And what many people don’t realise is this: those bikes don’t just deliver blood – they also deliver donor breastmilk.
And in that moment, I nodded my head – not because I’m a biker, but out of deep respect. Respect for the volunteers, the drivers, the dispatchers – and the parents, like many of you reading this, who donate their expressed milk to save babies’ lives.
Why Donor Milk Matters
In Stage 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), premature babies often can’t tolerate formula. Their guts are just not ready. In fact, introducing formula too soon can increase the risk of conditions like necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) – which can be fatal.
That’s where donor breastmilk comes in. It’s not just a “nice to have” – it’s literally a life-saving intervention.
And yet, so few people know it’s even an option.
Can You Donate Milk?
I was chatting to a few friends recently and not a single one of them knew that, if they were healthy and screened, they could donate their expressed milk.
I get it. When you’re deep in the blur of new parenthood, the last thing you’re thinking about is milk donation. But if you’re someone who is expressing regularly and has extra – you could be saving the life of a baby born far too soon.
The process is safe. There are checks. The milk is screened. It’s not just giving, it’s giving with love, care and support.
And to every single person who has donated milk – I am forever grateful. You helped save Amelia’s life.
Pumping for Preemies – A Call for Awareness
Seeing that motorbike today reminded me why I started the Pumping for Preemies campaign. Because awareness is still way too low. Because the milk banks are not overflowing – they’re often running short. And because too many people don’t know just how urgent the need is.
So if you’ve ever donated milk, thank you.
If you’ve ever considered it, look into it.
And if you didn’t know it was possible – now you do. Maybe you’ll tell a friend who can help.
That nod to the motorbike wasn’t just respect for the rider – it was for every parent who has pumped a bottle to help someone else’s baby live another day.
With love and hope,
Laura x
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