Donating Breast Milk

So a couple of months ago, my friend Karina mentioned in passing that she had donated breast milk to Haiti. I had never heard of donating breast milk, but apparently you can. Such a beautiful thing to do! Ever since then, it's been in my head that I would like to donate some breast milk as well, especially since I have 77 ounces stored in my freezer from when I was pumping like crazy when I thought I was going to go back to work. Now that I won't be using all that milk, I had been wondering what to do with it and throwing it away was not an option -- it took hard work to make and pump all that milk!!!

The other day, I was googling to find out how I can donate, and I came across this article on Oprah.com about a woman and her story about how she came to donate a whopping 7,260 ounces of milk. This was the most inspiring story of courage, strength and love I had ever read... you MUST read it... tearjerker! Incredibly amazing. I guarantee you'll be moved.

After reading her story I was more inspired than ever to donate milk. There are so many families that can benefit from it! Premature or sick babies and children, whose mothers are not able to produce their own milk, many times due to illness, medication, adoption or foster care need donated breast milk. Such a beautiful thing it is to nurse your baby and know that you're giving your baby the best! Even though Mila and I had a rough time starting to breastfeed, I was determined. It was so important to me to give her breast milk. I can't imagine how hard it is for families that want to breastfeed and for some reason can't or aren't able to. Especially for those babies that are born premature or sick, breast milk is what they need the most!!!

We are so blessed that Mila was born healthy and that I had no complications during my pregnancy. My heart goes out to other families that have had to struggle and if I can help by donating some milk, then that's what I'll do. I encourage you lactating moms to consider it! :)

Here's the link to the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. All you have to do is contact the closest location to you. Even if there isn't a milk bank in your city or state, many of the milk banks will still screen and accept you as a donor. The milk bank will cover the cost of the blood screening test and the cost of shipping the milk. There is a minimum of donating at least 100 ounces of milk (although each milk bank has different minimums), so I'll have to pump at least an extra 23 ounces. And although I hate pumping, I figure I'll do a little here and a little there and I'll reach the 100 ounces in no time. Totally worth it.

How does a Milk Bank work? According to their website: 

Donor milk banks receive milk from lactating mothers who have been carefully screened for health behaviors and communicable diseases, similarly to the way blood banks screen donors. Additionally, milk bank donors must: be non-smokers, not regularly consume any medication (including mega-vitamins), and not consume excluded medications or alcohol within the specified exclusion period.


Milk is transported to the milk bank frozen. The milk from several donors is pooled after thawing, and then heat-treated to kill any bacteria or viruses. The milk is processed and then refrozen. It is only dispensed after a sample is cultured and shows no bacteria growth. Milk is shipped frozen by overnight express to hospitals and to individual recipients at home.


The milk is dispensed by physician prescription or by hospital purchase order only. There is a processing fee charged to cover the expense of collecting, pasteurizing and dispensing the milk.

It is a beautiful thing. Truly is.