{"id":9786,"date":"2024-09-02T10:54:25","date_gmt":"2024-09-02T10:54:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/nhs-apology-after-baby-given-wrong-breast-milk\/"},"modified":"2024-09-02T10:54:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-02T10:54:25","slug":"nhs-apology-after-baby-given-wrong-breast-milk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/nhs-apology-after-baby-given-wrong-breast-milk\/","title":{"rendered":"NHS apology after baby given wrong breast milk"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\"SuppliedSupplied<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Milo weighed just less than 2lbs (0.9kg) when he was born<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
\n

A hospital trust has apologised to the parents of a baby who was given another mother’s breast milk after being born prematurely.<\/p>\n

Melissa and Callum say they were “let down repeatedly” during their son Milo’s treatment at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) and Leicester General Hospital (LGH).<\/p>\n

Milo, who was born at 26 weeks in March, was fed stored breast milk from a woman who was not his mother on three occasions.<\/p>\n

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL), which runs the hospitals where Milo was treated, apologised to his parents and said changes had been made to its processes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Melissa said: “Milo received another mother’s breast milk. Not for one feed, not even for two, but for three feeds.”<\/p>\n

This led Melissa to become so anxious “that my milk supply turned into nothing”.<\/p>\n

“I thought, what if he’s got an infection from it? Because there’s so many unknowns with other people’s bodily fluids.”<\/p>\n

The milk was fed to Milo through a syringe, from a bottle which had two labels on it – one for Melissa, and one identifying it as the milk of another mother on the ward.<\/p>\n

The hospital later found that the milk was not Melissa’s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

‘Unapproachable and scary’<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
\n

Melissa said that she faced strange answers to questions she asked during ward rounds about Milo’s future treatment.<\/p>\n

She said: “I was told by a consultant that we were going to be moved to LGH because ‘the junior members of her team were afraid to approach me because I ask too many questions’.<\/p>\n

“This wasn’t the first time in our weeks there I was called angry, unapproachable and scary.”<\/p>\n

UHL later told Melissa it was sorry its staff “did not have the skills” to support her fully.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\"Melissa<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Melissa said “we are so let down by UHL Trust as a whole”<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
\n

After being at LGH for a few weeks, Melissa said Milo was “really showing signs of being unwell”.<\/p>\n

Milo had X-rays and a sepsis screening, which came back clear.<\/p>\n

However, at a staff handover on 25 May, she heard nurses saying they had only just disposed of breast milk which had been defrosted more than 72 hours earlier.<\/p>\n

The NHS recommends<\/a> defrosted breast milk is used immediately.<\/p>\n

Melissa said: “I stormed down to the doctor that had done the screenings and X-rays and asked if that was causing his symptoms, to which he said ‘I can’t say yes and I can’t say no’, which gives me enough of an answer; I believe this breast milk had been used the night before.”<\/p>\n

UHL said it was carrying out a wider review of how breast milk is handled, as a result of Milo’s care.<\/p>\n

After being transferred to the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham for further treatment, Milo was eventually discharged on 7 July.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\"SuppliedSupplied<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Milo was given the wrong breast milk for three different feeds<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
\n

Julie Hogg, chief nurse at UHL, said: \u201cWe are truly sorry that Milo and his family did not receive the quality of care and support we strive to provide and for the distress they have experienced as a result.<\/p>\n

“We have fully investigated their concerns and made changes to our processes, along with sharing the learning with colleagues involved in Milo\u2019s care and the wider department.<\/p>\n

“This includes making improvements for storing, labelling, and checking breast milk.<\/p>\n

“I would like to thank Milo\u2019s family for raising the concerns, which have directly influenced positive changes in our practices, and the way we interact with families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow BBC Leicester on <\/i>Facebook<\/i><\/a>, on <\/i>X<\/i><\/a>, or on <\/i>Instagram<\/i><\/a>. Send your story ideas to <\/i>eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk<\/i><\/a> or via <\/i>WhatsApp<\/i><\/a> on 0808 100 2210.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n