We are still accepting milk donations but call us first at 204-594-0900. (If you are a first-time donor or want to donate, visit NorthernStar at www.northernstarmilkbank.ca and call them at 1-403-475-6455 BEFORE calling us or coming to the Birth Centre).
Are you a nursing person who would like to donate milk? Are you a GP who needs more information about the screening process?
Call NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank at 1-403-475-6455 or visit www.northernstarmilkbank.ca.
On December 2, 2015 the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) in collaboration with Women’s Health Clinic and NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank, announced the creation of a Milk Drop for donated breast milk at the Birth Centre (603 St. Mary’s Road) in Winnipeg: www.wrha.mb.ca/media/releases/2015/151202.php.
A Milk Drop is a place for nursing people who have been prescreened and accepted as donors by NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank to drop off their breast milk. Once accepted as donors, NorthernStar will provide them with the supplies they need to package their milk, as well as specific instructions for storing it before they deliver it to the Milk Drop.
The Milk Drop is located at the Birth Centre (603 St Mary’s Road at St Anne’s Road).
The NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank (located in Calgary) is Canada’s only community-based milk bank: www.northernstarmilkbank.ca. As a charitable organization, NorthernStar screens nursing people as milk donors, accepting their excess milk as donations to be pasteurized in the laboratory and dispensed to sick babies in hospitals and in the community. NorthernStar believes, and science endorses, that donor human milk is the best option for any baby and that all babies should have access to the life-saving nutrients of donor human milk. As advocates and champions for healthy babies, NorthernStar’s goal is to connect donor human milk with as many sick and fragile babies as possible.
In Winnipeg, donated breast milk is prioritized for the tiniest, sickest neonates at the Health Science’s Centre and St. Boniface Hospital. These babies weigh less than 1,500 grams.
Milk Bank donors are healthy, conscientious individuals who provide their milk for selfless reasons. They are most often:
Donors are asked to donate at least 4,500 ml (150 ounces) of breast milk for their first donation. There is no volume requirement for subsequent donations.
No. Sterilized, food-grade, rigid plastic containers are best. Milk stored in milk storage bags can also be donated. Baggies should not be used. Hard plastic, pre-sterilized storage containers are available free of charge to donors, and can be picked up at our drop site (603 St. Mary’s Road).
No. All milk donors are volunteers who donate for selfless reasons. We do not provide financial compensation in any way for donor human milk donations.
You must first contact the NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank (1-403-475-6455 or contact@northernstarmilkbank.ca) or visit www.northernstarmilkbank.ca to apply. You will need to complete a preliminary screening by telephone, followed by a written questionnaire. There are forms and blood tests for your healthcare provider to complete as well. If approved, you will be sent the materials needed to collect your breast milk, as well as detailed instructions about how to store it until you are able to deliver it to the Milk Drop. For more information on the donating process, visit: www.northernstarmilkbank.ca/give-donate/
No. The following conditions would prevent someone from becoming an approved donor:
Yes.
There are no costs associated with donating, except for your physical transportation of breast milk to the Birth Centre.
The hours of the Birth Centre are as follows (unless otherwise posted):
Sunday | Closed |
Monday | 8:30 a.m– 4 p.m. |
Tuesday | 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
Wednesday | 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
Thursday | 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. |
Friday | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. |
Saturday | Closed |
Unfortunately, we are not able to pick up milk donations. You (or a designate) must find a way to physically drop off your milk donation to the Birth Centre (603 St. Mary’s Road) while ensuring safe storage of milk while it is being transported.