The neonatal unit at Landspítali National University Hospital in Reykjavik has announced they will be importing breast milk from Denmark for babies born prematurely in Iceland and whose mothers are unable to breastfeed, reports the Guardian.
When babies are born early they are put at risk for a number of diseases, therefore, it is recommended that the mother acquire breast milk from a milk bank when no breast milk is available. Due to Iceland's small population, it is not economically feasible to build a milk bank domestically. Hence, the Danish milk bank would allow Icelandic mothers to provide their babies with the recommended breast milk.
The milk transfer would be made possible by freezing the liquid at -18 degrees Celsius before being flown over to Iceland. This method allows the milk to stay unspoiled for up to six months. Although the importation process is expensive for Icelanders, it would still be cheaper than developing a milk bank domestically.
The neonatal unit at Landspítali National University Hospital in Reykjavik has announced they will be importing breast milk from Denmark for babies born prematurely in Iceland and whose mothers are unable to breastfeed, reports the Guardian.
When babies are born early they are put at risk for a number of diseases, therefore, it is recommended that the mother acquire breast milk from a milk bank when no breast milk is available. Due to Iceland's small population, it is not economically feasible to build a milk bank domestically. Hence, the Danish milk bank would allow Icelandic mothers to provide their babies with the recommended breast milk.
The milk transfer would be made possible by freezing the liquid at -18 degrees Celsius before being flown over to Iceland. This method allows the milk to stay unspoiled for up to six months. Although the importation process is expensive for Icelanders, it would still be cheaper than developing a milk bank domestically.
