milk donation

[@llli*curls1031]

Hi everyone,
My daughter is done breastfeeding and I have over 100 oz in the freezer. I've googled a couple places online because i'd like to donate what's left. I want to use a reputable company and didn't knwo if anyone had any experience with this. Thanks!
jennifer

[@llli*auderey]

there are lots of milk banks, most of which are for-profit (owned by Prolacta). there is also the network of HMBANA milk banks, which are not-for-profit and provide milk products for NICUs. both of these sets want large donations (100-oz lumps) and require screening prior to pumping, as far as i know.

there are also informal milk sharing mechanisms, where you can directly give your milk to another mom/child in need. most popularly these are HM4HM (human milk for human babies) and Eats on Feet, both of which have extensive local facebook presence. generally they ask folks to engage in responsible private exchanges, which would involve conversations between donor and recipient about donor's health status, diet, medications, age of baby at time milk was pumped, age of milk, storage conditions, and logistics of transferring milk (usually recipient will pick up, or pay for shipping, and often recipient will replace bags), and sometimes donors also want to know something about the recipient's baby/why they need donor milk.

[@llli*krystine]

Milk banks want it to be milk pumped prior to 6 mos, at least the ones I've talked to. Informal milk sharing doesn't matter so much but Auderey hit all of this.

[@llli*mercystreet]

Let me clear up a few facts about HMBANA milk banks, as I was an approved milk donor to a HMBANA milk bank.

The donated milk must be pumped prior to baby's 1 year birthday. The amount of time it is acceptable to have been frozen depends on how you have stored it (ie. in your standard fridge freezer, or a separate deep freeze) but generally within 4-6 months of pumping it.

You do not have to complete the screening prior to pumping the milk you plan to donate. You just have to complete the screening prior to donation, and the pumped milk has to have been expressed and donated during the time window specified above. Of course then when you answer the screening questionnaire, you need to include your past history during the time that the pumping happened, not just current (for example they will ask about medications you might have taken - so don't forget past meds if you are donating previously pumped milk). When I was approved as a donor, my first donation was milk that was 4 months frozen.

It is true that they usually want the first donation to be a large amount (my milk bank asked for 100 oz initially), and thereafter you can continue to donate in whatever small amounts you want. I believe this is probably a cost issue -- they pay for the cost of the screening to approve you as a donor, and then there are obviously costs associated with processing the donated milk, so I imagine there is a minimum donation amount to make it work for their expenses and operations.

Milk donation is awesome. If you have the supply to share, it's an amazing gift.

[@llli*auderey]

thanks, mercystreet, that's helpful!!