Supporting Mums to Nurture Tiny Lives

Having a premature baby is one of the hardest journeys any parent can face – but in Scotland’s largest neonatal unit, the Express Yourself Project is helping mums provide breast milk for their babies with practical, thoughtful support.

For premature and critically ill babies, breast milk plays a vital role in protecting against infection, supporting development, and helping the tiniest patients thrive.

Expressing milk can be a demanding and emotional journey, particularly when mums and babies can’t be together twenty-four hours a day. The Express Yourself Project exists to make that journey a little easier.

Each mum is given a pack containing a cool bag for safe milk transport, a water bottle, and contact details for infant feeding support. Together, these small but essential items help mums stay hydrated, feel encouraged, and safely store their milk whether they’re at home or in hospital.

“The Express Yourself Project is about supporting every mum who wants to express milk for their baby. Whether they’re in hospital or at home, we want them to feel confident and cared for. Being separated from your baby can be incredibly hard, but this kind of support helps parents provide breast milk, which makes a huge difference to their baby’s health.”

Sinead Young, Infant Feeding Specialist

Ainsley and Steven’s daughter Elise was born at just 25 weeks’ gestation. Elise is being cared for in the Neonatal Unit while her parents travel between the hospital and their home in Cumbernauld, where they live with their 7-year-old son Lewis.

“We want to be here for Elise every moment we can, but we also need to be at home for Lewis. Having practical support like this, even just knowing I have everything I need to express safely, has helped take one worry off my mind.”

Ainsley, Elise and Lewis' mum

In hospital, mums can express in a calm, comfortable space with access to drinks, snacks, and a television, making an emotionally and physically challenging task a little more manageable.

“I highly appreciate being given everything I needed for expressing. It isn’t easy having a baby in the neonatal unit, so having support and help is a huge weight off the shoulders.”

- NICU Parent (SURVEY FEEDBACK)

When expressing at home, having access to the right kit makes it easier to keep up milk supply and transport milk safely. All milk must be kept below a certain temperature to remain safe for use and is stored in fridges and freezers at the hospital until baby needs it.

“The pack has been massively helpful during what has been quite a stressful time. Having this supplied eliminates all stress regarding travelling with the breast milk and I could not be more grateful.”

NICU PARENT (SURVEY FEEDBACK)

On occasion, families must travel from all over Scotland so their baby can receive the specialist care offered by the neonatal team in Glasgow. In these situations, the charity’s Crossbasket House provides a vital ‘home from home’ for parents and siblings.

“As we were far from home and staying at Crossbasket House, the bag and contents were so helpful and used every day”

NICU PARENT (SURVEY FEEDBACK)

Sometimes, even with support, a mum might not be able to express enough milk, especially in the early days. In these cases, babies have access to donor milk from the hospital’s milk bank. Donor milk is safely screened and pasteurised and can be hugely important for preterm babies.

Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity also supports the milk bank by providing a team of volunteer drivers who collect donor milk from across the region. Thanks to this service, milk is delivered safely and quickly, whenever it’s needed.

The Express Yourself Project, the charity’s support for the milk bank, and Crossbasket House are just some of the ways your donations help families in neonatal care. Every day, you’re helping to ease the pressure, give comfort, and make sure vulnerable babies receive the best start in life.