By Merla Medina
Every drop of expressed breast milk is precious in a neonatal unit. For premature and sick newborns, it is more than nutrition – it is medicine. As healthcare increasingly relies on digital technology, making sure that every baby receives the correct milk has become more complex. In neonatal units, especially Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU’s), many premature and sick newborn babies are unable to breastfeed directly from their mothers. “As a result, mothers are supported to express and store their milk, and their babies receive their milk through enteral tube feeds and as mouth care”. Accurate tracking of expressed breast milk is a critical component of neonatal care, ensuring that babies receive the correct milk safely and efficiently.
Breast milk is a valuable and limited resource, and without proper tracking, milk may expire, be misplaced, or be discarded unnecessarily. Recording expression times, storage, locations, and expiry dates helps neonatal staff and parents use milk efficiently and minimize wastage. This is particularly important for mothers who produce limited quantities of milk or whose babies require prolonged neonatal care.
My current neonatal unit adapted a tool that ensures the administered milk is the right milk and is given to the right baby. This tool provides a labelling and tracking system that begins at the time of milk expression and continuous through collection, storage, and administration. Each label includes the infant’s identification, the date and time of expression, the expiry date and coded storage information indicating the designated refrigerator or freezer location.
Following the implementation of MilkTrac, more milk administration incidents were identified and reported. This likely reflects improved reporting and monitoring rather than an actual increase in errors. These incidents includes administration of the wrong milk to the wrong infant, wrong volume of milk administered, expired milk for not using the tool during collection and storage. Occasional system failures have also contributed to reported incidents.
The most reported errors were related to the improper use of the system due to the process in inputting data. As a Generation X neonatal nurse, I have experienced the transition from paper documentation to digital healthcare systems. While adapting to new technology has been challenging, I have also seen how these systems improve patient safety when used correctly. This experience has reinforced the importance of continuous learning and supporting colleagues through digital transformation.
Tracking mothers’ expressed milk in the neonatal unit is not the only digital advancement the unit has taken. BadgerNet Neonatal, a specialized digital Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system was also introduced to replace the traditional paper charts. Although integrating of technology into nursing practice has been challenging, patient safety remains my highest priority.
As neonatal care continues to advance, robust expressed milk tracking systems remain a fundamental aspect of safe and effective clinical practice. Accurate documentation and handling procedures enable healthcare professionals to provide high-quality, family-centred care while ensuring that vulnerable newborns receive the many benefits of their mother’s milk and and are supported to establish and maintain milk production during the neonatal stay increases the likelihood of successful breastfeeding after discharge.
Digital systems such as MilkTrac and BadgerNet have transformed neonatal care by improving patient safety, traceability, and accountability. However, technology alone cannot eliminate errors. Success depends on proper staff training, consistent use of the systems, and a culture of continuous improvement. As healthcare continuous to evolve, neonatal nurses play a crucial role in ensuring that technology enhances – not replaces – safe, compassionate care.
Merla Medina is a Ward Manager in a level two neonatal unit.
Neonatal Nurse of the Year 2025
I’m Lora Alexander, one of the Quality Improvement coaches in a busy Level 3 NICU. QI is all about understanding problems, thinking of solutions, implementing ideas and analysing the results. 
My name is Adedoyin Yissau, also known as Dee. I am the Education and Workforce Lead for the London Operational Delivery Network. I came into post as a Network Educator in 2019 and have since developed nursing education region wide, with the current focus on developing a nursing career pathway for London.
Neonatal Network Nurse Educator
My name is Dr. Julia Petty, and I am a nurse lecturer specialising in children’s nursing with a particular interest in neonatal care. My nursing career in paediatric and neonatal clinical nursing practice began after a BSc Hons degree in Psychology at Warwick University, when I moved to Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. Here, I trained in children’s and adult nursing before working there for many years in children’s and neonatal surgical care. I then gained my neonatal nursing qualification at St George’s NHS Trust London and worked at the Whittington NHS Trust NICU before moving back to Great Ormond Street for a senior education role on NICU where I worked until 2001. I then worked as Senior Lecturer at City University, London for 12 years leading the neonatal nursing education portfolio. I studied for a MSc, a PGCE and MA in academic practice during this time, In 2013, I moved to the University of Hertfordshire where my role is Associate Professor (learning and teaching) and Senior lecturer child nursing. I teach on the BSc Hons nursing and master’s degree programmes including leadership of modules, face-to-face/online teaching, assessing and supervision of students at all levels up to doctorate level. I am also research active and have completed a Doctorate in Education. As a nurse, educator and post-doctorate researcher, my interests focus on parents’ premature birth experiences, supporting parents in the transition home from NICU, exploring communication needs of neonates and their carers and studying the educational value of digital storytelling. This combination and variety of roles enriches my working life and brings together my experience as a child / neonatal nurse, educator and researcher. My role and related activities enable me to engage in both education and research while supporting students on their nursing career and education pathway, which is a privilege to be part of.
Hello my name is Claire Richards and I’m the Lead Nurse for the Wales Maternity and Neonatal Strategic Network. This covers nursing leadership but also Neonatal transport. I also have a clinical honorary contract in one Health Board.
Hello, my name is Kim Edwards, and I am a Neonatal Nurse. I am currently the Lead Nurse and Workforce, Education Lead for the Thames Valley and Wessex Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (ODN)
Hello, my name is Jean and I am a registered children’s nurse with 27 years experience. I qualified with a DipHE after struggling academically due to dyslexia. Over my career I have worked mainly in PICU, NICU and children’s cardiac critical care. I am dual qualified in speciality (QIS) for both Neonatal and Paediatrics. The QIS program is a post graduate modular course completed at level 6/7. To be considered QIS you must successfully complete 4 separate modules, each have an academic and practical component. Only on completion of the QIS course can you apply for a band 6 role. In addition to the above qualifications it is expected you would have several years proven experience in speciality at Band 6 and 7 prior to applying for a Matron’s role.
My name is Lisa Baker, I’m a Ward Manager on a Level 2 Special Care Baby Unit in South Wales and I’ve been in this role since 2020. 
Hello, my name is Wesell, and I am currently a trainee Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (ANNP) at Great Western Hospital, which is a Local Neonatal Unit (LNU). Prior to this, I gained substantial experience in a tertiary neonatal unit where I completed my QIS course at master’s level. This course, alongside my role as a senior nurse, provided me with the expertise required to develop my career further in neonatal care.
My name is Hannah Wells, and I am a Neonatal Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
Hi, I am Amanda and work as the Neonatal Infant Feeding Coordinator for a NICU and a SCBU within one service. While the role is not standardised, many neonatal units now have dedicated posts.
Hello, my name is Daniela Machado, and I am proud to be a Developmental Care Specialist/Lead Nurse and a sister/charge nurse, working across two different trusts. I am originally from Porto, Portugal, and have spent 14 years building my nursing career in the UK. My role involves applying and advancing neuroprotective/developmental care practices for our preterm and neonatal patients/families.
Hello! I am Renjita Raju , a Neonatal Junior Sister working in London. After completing my BSc nursing degree in India, I moved to UK, and completed NMC OSCE to get registered and QIS course to become specialised in neonatal care. I recently qualified as an NLS instructor with the support from NNA scholarship programme. My role involves caring for premature and critically ill newborns, ensuring their safety and health with a highly collaborative multidisciplinary team. I also teach in NLS courses as an instructor following my passion in neonatal resuscitation. I love witnessing infants grow stronger each day and supporting their families through this journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide meaningful compassionate care to the tiniest, most vulnerable patients. 