How to Donate Breast Milk

So your freezer is starting to get full and you are wondering what to do with all that breast milk. Is donation an option? Here are some tips from local parents.

Important Note from Park Slope Parents Editorial Team: Please note that milk collected and donated privately generally does not meet the standards of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. These standards may be reviewed at the organization's website.

 

See also this FDC resource: Use of Human Donor Milk.

 

Resources on the web:

 

Breast Milk Donation related Organizations:

Note: Each organization has standards of what they accept from milk donations, include things like adequate temperature storage, you and your baby’s health, and even time spent living abroad.

 

National Milk Bank Organization, an affiliation of Prolacta Bioscience

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America

Human Milk 4 Human Babies

The Breast Milk Project

Milk Share

Only the Breast

The Kind Life

The New York Milk Bank

 

Further Online Reading

Breast Milk Donated or Sold Online is Often Tainted, Study Says, via The New York Times

Buying Breast Milk From Strangers On The Internet Is Not a Good Idea, via Slate

Milk Donation and Sharing, via La Leche League

 

Does Park Slope Parents allow posts about Donating or ISO Breastmilk?

No. Please review our posting policies here.

 

Tips from PSP members:

 

Make sure you find out how to donate – and receive – breast milk safely:

“There are also resources on Eats On Feets, including an extensive list of what to look for in both donors as well as recipients of breast milk.” And another PSP mother also shares: “there is a wonderful group called Eats on Feets that connects mommas with one another. I found a donee this way and I see new postings all the time on their Facebook page.”

http://www.eatsonfeets.org/

 

Pump for a Cause! Donate Breast Milk to international organizations in need of breast milk:

One PSP Mom suggests the Breast Milk Project, a humanitarian organization that sends donated breast milk to milk banks in Africa or to international emergency areas like Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

http://www.breastmilkproject.org/

 

Harness the power of Social Media:

Human Milk 4 Human Babies is a milk sharing network.  You can see their website, but I believe the connections are all made through Facebook.  Search for it on FB and you'll find the NY chapter.”

New York Chapter can be found HERE.

 

Connect with Other Families:

Another PSP member shares: “Milk Share is an organization that connects families who want to donate breast milk with families who are looking for it...”

http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/connect

 

Articles of Interest on PSP

How To Increase Breast Milk Production

Traveling while Breastfeeding/ With Breast Milk


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