Hospital's new breast milk bank

The hospital says breast milk helps protect babies from infection

A hospital is accepting donations of breast milk to help premature babies.

The new scheme, launched at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E), accepts milk donated by new mothers who are back home in the community.

Donated milk will be tested for bacteria, pasteurised, then screened again before being stored in a freezer.

It will then be available for mothers who are unable to breastfeed, providing vital nutrition for sick or premature babies.

Mothers must be non-smoking and drug free and will be given blood tests before being accepted for donation.

It's like gold dust and you don't want to waste it Jo Simpson, donor mother

Sister Karen Read said the hospital's guidelines were strict and any milk failing the screening process would be discarded.

"Breast milk can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, so we are encouraging women who produce more milk than their own baby needs to donate it because it is a valuable source of nutrients and protection against infection for babies."

Jo Simpson agreed to sign up to the scheme after breastfeeding her daughter, who was born three months prematurely.

"You spend so much time and energy producing the milk - it's like gold dust and you don't want to waste it," she told BBC News.

"Previously you would have had to throw it away, whereas now you can take it to the hospital and donate it to a good cause."

New mother of triplets Kay Dennis said the RD&E scheme was "fantastic".

Kay Dennis is using donated milk to top up feeds for her triplets

During pregnancy she had planned to breastfeed, but discovered she did not have enough milk to satisfy three hungry mouths.

She has been using the hospital's breast bank to top up the triplets' feeds.

"I consented to it from the day they were born," Ms Dennis said.

"To me it's better than formula milk because there's more in it for the babies."

Nursing mothers who are HIV positive, undergoing chemotherapy or on certain medication are not able to donate milk.

Classed as a satellite milk bank, the unit can also donate milk to the Princess Anne maternity hospital in Southampton.