Edmonton now home to two breast milk drop sites (Video)

What was once the marketing slogan for the dairy industry is now a plea directed at Edmonton mothers, who are being asked to make an unconventional donation.

Alberta Health Services announced Thursday that a new site has opened in the city for women to donate breast milk, which is then given to sick and premature babies.

The Lois Hole Hospital for Women, located at the Royal Alexandra Hospital campus, is host to the new facility. It’s the second such site in Edmonton and the seventh in Alberta.

AHS has partnered with NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank, Canada’s only community-based milk bank, on the initiative.

“Across our prairie provinces, these milk drop locations remove barriers for donor mothers to participate in a movement that saves lives,” said NorthernStar executive director, Jannette Festival.

“Edmonton has shown a need for donor human milk and we welcome the participation of breastfeeding mothers to help support the demand,” she added.

This year, the milk bank anticipates it will dispense more than 140,000 ounces (more than 1,000 gallons) of donor human milk.

The Grey Nuns Milk Drop opened in Edmonton in 2012 – sites also exist in Red Deer and Grande Prairie.

Agencies/Canadajournal