Friends of Neo funds ‘invaluable’ breast pumps for Neo mums

Breast pumps serve a number of benefits aside from to express milk; in cases where the baby is premature, the milk is often not ready to express from the breast and requires very gentle encouragement from this specific pump.

Friends of the Neonatal Unit already provide funding for the rental of a small number of breast pumps in the unit. However, the busy unit sees mums having to wait and share breast pumps.

We are over the moon to be able to provide a further 10 breast pumps to Aberdeen’s Neonatal Unit. This funding will cover the rental of these pumps for the next three years, allowing the equipment to be serviced in case of any need of repair or renewal in that time.

Breast milk is the best type of milk to give a premature baby, delivering antibodies and protecting baby’s gut from common disease, which can be fatal. The milk mum produces in the first few days contains high concentrations of antibodies to help baby fight infection. Even if a baby is unable to feed, they can be given mum’s milk through a tube.

The pumps are a much-needed resource and something that will help give babies the best chance at survival. We would not have been able to provide this without the continued support of local people who fundraise and donate for Friends of the Neonatal Unit – so thank you!

Diane Forbes, the infant feeding advisor for the Neonatal Unit, said: “The extra pumps will be invaluable.

“Increasingly our mums are expressing at the incubator or cot side and these pumps will enable more mums to do so.

“Expressing by their baby helps tremendously with the milk supply and volumes obtained. The pumps will be well used.”

If you’d like to support Friends of the Neonatal Unit, there are plenty of ways to do so! Whether you volunteer, donate, or take part in one of our upcoming fundraisers – please get in touch at hello@friendsofneo.org!