selling breastmilk?

aktharp

With my previous two children i have been as over producer of breastmilk. I could feed three babies instead of one! I am looking into selling my excess breastmilk to a hospital or organization and am wondering if any other mommies have experience with this and could guide me to the right place. I have done some research online and am having a hard time finding a reputable source. Any help is appreciated! I am trying to find ways to supplement my family's income any way possible.

laurasuzanne2006

Nope I only donated. I really don't think you can really sell it

mommaKCS

I've only heard of donating as well. Maybe you could set up a private sale? I have breast milk advertisements on classified ads... And i believe they have entire websites dedicated to buying/selling breast milk. I believe hospitals and other centers only accept donations - at least in my area.

While I appreciate you trying to supplement your income, I personally feel that if you are able to, donating breast milk is a beautiful, extremely helpful thing to do. Not many women are able to do such a thing. Maybe you could donate and sell?

aktharp

Yes, I do want to donate as well.

JemHolo2015

I'm not sure I'd advocate doing anything that is a plot point on Shameless. Maybe just stick to donating?

Out of curiosity, do a lot of people want to use donated breast milk over formula? It would weird me out!! Who do the donations go to?

ChristyM87

Is it legal to sell breast milk for profit? Genuinely curious as it is illegal to profit off of other bodily fluids (ie blood, organs)

princesslockness

I have heard of selling BM. Not sure how to go about it, but in one of my PE teaching classes in college they gave a whole speech about how people thought it would help with athletics.

julie1445

I have only heard of donating BM. A friend of mine uses donated breast milk in her area, she was diagnosed with cancer while 6 months pregnant and was a huge BF'ing advocate in her area, it was horrible for her not to BF because of chemo but with the donations she got the next best thing. For stories like this it shows the importance of donating

vtgoodspeed

I used donated milk once and it is considered taboo to sell it. I'm not sure if it is illegal, but I would be very hesitant to trust someone selling it. Many people that use donated milk do ask for references. I had a mutual friend that knew the woman I donated from so I felt comfortable with it. I think it wonderful for people to donate. I was only able to breastfeed for three months before I lost my supply.

saraheve23

I would contact your hospital to ask if they have a BM bank you could donate to. I really want to donate this time around too! I've heard a lot of donated BM goes to premature babies.

cubberss

Please donate. Look into Human Milk for Human Babies in your area.

jesicabrennan

JemHolo2015 said:

I'm not sure I'd advocate doing anything that is a plot point on Shameless. Maybe just stick to donating?

Out of curiosity, do a lot of people want to use donated breast milk over formula? It would weird me out!! Who do the donations go to?

Donations go to women who either don't make enough milk or can't breastfeed for one reason or another. Of course formula is an option but so is donated BM. There's nothing wrong with formula but there's the added benefit of immunity from BM that some women want to offer their newborn even if they can't give it to them themselves.

OP, my midwife group always has a woman or two at any given time that needs milk (diagnosis of lung cancer at 34 weeks is the latest) and last time I donated all my extra milk. I plan to do the same this time! Ask your OB/midwife, I'm sure there's someone in need of your milk!

WDDCH

JemHolo2015 said:

Out of curiosity, do a lot of people want to use donated breast milk over formula? It would weird me out!! Who do the donations go to?

Hospitals give it to NICU babies (with permission from parents of course), adoptive families want their babies to have BM, a mother may not produce enough and doesn't want to supplement with formula, the mother died or is too ill to BF, etc.

I've also heard some freaky things like men buying it because it's a fetish.

I'd stick to donating to a milk bank or hospital to benefit infants who need it. Banks and hospitals screen the milk. Other third parties may not screen it.

JemHolo2015

Interesting!!

jlsweets

WDDCH said:

JemHolo2015 said:

Out of curiosity, do a lot of people want to use donated breast milk over formula? It would weird me out!! Who do the donations go to?

Hospitals give it to NICU babies (with permission from parents of course), adoptive families want their babies to have BM, a mother may not produce enough and doesn't want to supplement with formula, the mother died or is too ill to BF, etc.

I've also heard some freaky things like men buying it because it's a fetish.

I'd stick to donating to a milk bank or hospital to benefit infants who need it. Banks and hospitals screen the milk. Other third parties may not screen it.

I actually just recently read an article about men (particularly body builders) buying breast milk online for added health benefits, protein, supplements, etc. the thought of men drinking breast milk makes me want to vomit and creeps me out

sjra1028

I know a very sweet couple that uses donated breast milk for the babies they foster. A lot of them are malnourished and have a hard time gaining weight because their mother did drugs while pregnant. Donating breast milk is very important!

mlindon

ChristyM87 said:

Is it legal to sell breast milk for profit? Genuinely curious as it is illegal to profit off of other bodily fluids (ie blood, organs)

I'm not sure about breast milk but people get money for donating plasma, 70 plus dollars a week.

lilana1011

It's not illegal, but it's very taboo to sell it. Donate it. Don't sell. Find other ways to supplement income.

taluthi

As a FTM I am curious how you know when you have enough extra to donate? Do you wait until you're done breastfeeding and then donate what is frozen? I think it's a great concept and obviously have no idea how I'll produce, but I didn't know if you donated along the way or after a year when you're done! Kudos to all you ladies who have already done this!

jesicabrennan

taluthi said:

As a FTM I am curious how you know when you have enough extra to donate? Do you wait until you're done breastfeeding and then donate what is frozen? I think it's a great concept and obviously have no idea how I'll produce, but I didn't know if you donated along the way or after a year when you're done! Kudos to all you ladies who have already done this!

You donate along the way. Once a week, once a month, whatever you're comfortable with. I was making tons and decided to freeze it but then had a new mom in my midwife group who was unable to produce, so I just gave her whatever I had because I knew I could make more. I was home with mine and he never really liked bottles so there was no point to my freezer stash! So I just gave it away. But don't wait a whole year, milk freezes for about 6 months and you don't want to be donating "old" milk!

thehurricaine

In Canada it's illegal to sell any body parts (this includes blood, plasma, eggs, sperm, breastmilk etc.) I believe in the states this is looser? I'd check your jurisdiction. 

One of the great things about breast milk donation is that they do screen the milk and they do have criteria to be sure everything is safe. It's often given to babies in difficult situations, like NICU or those who are going through withdrawl and are in the foster system immediately after birth etc. I also overproduced and looked into things but because I have technically had cancer, no one wants my blood or breastmilk. 

MommyV2b

I'm looking at sites like craigslist.com and onlythebreast.com but like you, I'm new to this and still investigating. In the states it is not illegal, nor is it monitored. I must say that the comments on donating border on self righteous peer pressure. Donating is great but if you choose to make extra money to take care of your family since when is that a bad thing? Good luck on finding out more details.

Knottie1459358632

One of my girlfriends resorted to donated breast milk for her little guy until her milk came in and the milk bank charged them $3/oz. That's criminal to me. I love the fact of any baby getting breast milk, but to donate it and then the bank turns around and makes a profit on it is crazy.

mothernorth

If I remember correctly, I read an article about this here on the bump. Or at least it said the BM is liquid gold and sells for $3 or $4 per ounce. Where they found that out or who their sources are, I don't know. I can't say one way or the other whether or not I would sell BM had I thought to or needed the income, but if you DON'T need the money, it would be awfully great of you to donate