First mobile breast milk donation bus running in Chongqing

A nurse helps Wei Na to collect brest milk at Wei's home. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Breast-feeding mothers in Chongqing can donate their spare milk at home as a local hospital began to use a special mini-bus to collect milk in the city, the first such practice in Southwest China.

The Southwest Hospital affiliated with the Third Military Medical University set up a breast milk bank in 2015, the first in Southwest China and the seventh in the country. It aims to provide high-quality milk for premature babies and those with serious diseases.

In the first four months of this year, the bank has received over 100,000 ml milk, which has helped about 90 babies.

To make the donation more convenient for breast-feeding mothers, the hospital decided to collect the milk at their homes with a well-equipped vehicle.

Women who want to donate their milk can make an appointment by phone and a nurse will review their health situation at the same time. Then a nurse will arrive at their home with the vehicle and help collect the milk.

The hospital will check the collected breast milk and distribute it after disinfection.

Wei Na, 28, was the first donor with the mobile service. She has a baby girl who is two and a half months old. She used to donate her spare breast milk at the hospital.

"It is a very pleasant thing to give my spare milk to other babies in need and I hope they are all healthy and strong," she said.