Donating breastmilk to a milk bank

Parenting and Education (Other) General Parenting
1

With all the talk about breastfeeding, I can’t believe I didn’t start this conversation sooner. It looks like we have a lot of mommies here who are breastfeeding their little ones, so I wanted to tell you all about a wonderful milk bank that you can donate to. It’s called National Milk Bank http://www.nationalmilkbank.org/

When I started breastfeeding, I had so much milk! I already knew that I wanted to donate to a milk bank b/c they do wonderful things for sick and premature babies. I looked around at all the different banks, but this one was by far the best!

Firstly, you have to fill out an application and send in a DNA swab from the inside of your mouth (they use this to verify all the milk you send in is from you). The application has basic info about you and your baby–health questions and the like. You have to also get your doc and your baby’s doc to fax a form saying you and your baby are healthy and everything. They send these papers to you quickly. Then, once approved, they send a nurse to your house, yes, to your house (no going out!) to take a blood sample. The blood sample is to test for certain diseases and illnesses (just like they test you for when you’re pregnant).

Once approved, you can send in milk recently pumped and frozen if you have some saved up. Or you can start saving right away.

Here is the best part…
If you don’t have a pump, they will send you one --FOR FREE! They also send you all the supplies needed. Milk storage bags, plastic bottles to pump with, coolers and ice packs for shipping—everything! They even pay for the overnight shipping of your milk. You don’t have to pay a single penny for anything. Most of the other banks had some sort money involved, such as shipping the milk, and I just couldn’t afford it.

There is no minimum amount you have to pump–you can pump once a day, or 5 times. You just freeze the milk and send it when you have enough to fill the cooler. As you all know, every drop counts!

You do have to get re-certified every 4 months if you wish to keep donating.

On top of everything, the 2 women who run it are very friendly and helpful. I had many questions, and they were always quick to answer. They even send you little thank you gifts and notes every once in a while.

I was so happy to have found them. I really felt like I was doing something wonderful for babies who needed breastmilk the most, besides, I had so much extra. I hope everyone will think about doing this. I know I will every time I have a baby.

2

DO you know nhockaday if there are similar banks outside USA?

3

thanks, that is such a wonderful idea. I had so much milk, I just threw it all away, because I didn’t have use for it. I hope they have one here in my area.

4

When I had my kids I had them in hospital and we were expected to stay therefor 5 days till the milk ‘came in’. I had lots and donated it to the hospital for prem babies who really needed it. It was good to be able to help.

My babes put on about 3/4 to 1 pound in weight every week after the first couple of weeks - so needed all I could produce lol
Unfortunately my hormones dropped to normal pre preg levels within about 4 months after each baby so then the milk supply dropped.

I feel sure that in the UK there are schemes for milk banks now - here you could ask the midwives, health visitors, or at any GP surgery.

By the way my three large babies all grew up to be average height, average weight healthy adults. So much for them saying I was letting them get obese on breastmilk. lol

5

I do believe there are some. I would google milk bank in for whatever country you’re in to find them.
Just make sure you “shop around” first. Some are better than others. You want to make sure they are safe. You don’t want your precious milk getting tainted, or them to not have rigid rules and an application process. Also, look at any cost involved. A lot of them will have you pay for stuff, which is why I liked NMB.

I asked if I could donate to my hospital, but they did not accept donations for some reason. :frowning:

And as far as your average weight children, they say people breastfed and not introduced to solids too early are less likely to be obese as children or adults. Even if they’re pigging out on breastmilk! I think the saying, “you can’t have too much of a good thing” applies here! lol

6

I wish they had this in our area. DD was in the hospital for 6 days after she was born - I came home with almost 50 little bottles of milk.