Questions for those who Donate BM

Meg4583

I want your thoughts on this.

I have extra milk in the freezer. It will end up going to waste and I think I want to donate it.

Is there a certain milk bank that you go through, or do you do local donations? I've seen both and to be honest I'm not sure which one to go through.  I'd love to help a local mom, but I also think it might be safer to donate through a milk bank, although I would not know who the milk is going to at that point in time. 

I think my main worry is that the minute I donate, my supply will tank and I'll end up kicking myself.  I keep not taking that first step to donate, but then the next day I'm back to researching BM donations..

So please tell me how you first got into donating your BM and your thoughts on it

BrittKav

I donate through Human Milk 4 Human Babies (local). Each state has it's own chapter on Facebook. I personally love seeing who my milk is going to, it's much more gratifying and helps motivate me to keep pumping to help more babies.So far I've donated to a 9-month-old boy whose mom can't produce enough milk, and a 4-month-old girl who was adopted. I even got to hold the baby girl and spend some time talking to her mom and dad. It's a great feeling.

seanandcallie

BrittKav:

I donate through Human Milk 4 Human Babies (local). Each state has it's own chapter on Facebook. I personally love seeing who my milk is going to, it's much more gratifying and helps motivate me to keep pumping to help more babies.So far I've donated to a 9-month-old boy whose mom can't produce enough milk, and a 4-month-old girl who was adopted. I even got to hold the baby girl and spend some time talking to her mom and dad. It's a great feeling.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Many banks charge an OUTRAGEOUS price to parents looking to purchase bm for their babies. With HM4HB, there is no middle man making a profit. I like that. 

irishmorningstar

seanandcallie:

BrittKav:

I donate through Human Milk 4 Human Babies (local). Each state has it's own chapter on Facebook. I personally love seeing who my milk is going to, it's much more gratifying and helps motivate me to keep pumping to help more babies.So far I've donated to a 9-month-old boy whose mom can't produce enough milk, and a 4-month-old girl who was adopted. I even got to hold the baby girl and spend some time talking to her mom and dad. It's a great feeling.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Many banks charge an OUTRAGEOUS price to parents looking to purchase bm for their babies. With HM4HB, there is no middle man making a profit. I like that. 

 

This.  There are also Eats of Feets chapters in many states which I have donated through.  Skip the middle man and provide a free resource to those that need it. 

drea_raye

irishmorningstar:

seanandcallie:

BrittKav:

I donate through Human Milk 4 Human Babies (local). Each state has it's own chapter on Facebook. I personally love seeing who my milk is going to, it's much more gratifying and helps motivate me to keep pumping to help more babies.So far I've donated to a 9-month-old boy whose mom can't produce enough milk, and a 4-month-old girl who was adopted. I even got to hold the baby girl and spend some time talking to her mom and dad. It's a great feeling.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Many banks charge an OUTRAGEOUS price to parents looking to purchase bm for their babies. With HM4HB, there is no middle man making a profit. I like that. 

 

This.  There are also Eats of Feets chapters in many states which I have donated through.  Skip the middle man and provide a free resource to those that need it. 

Human milk 4 human babies is the new name for Eats on Feets... not sure why they changed it, but it happened a couple of months ago...

ncbelle

With C, I donated through a HMBANA milk bank - https://www.hmbana.org/ - they have a minimum amount (I think it was 200 oz) and require a screening process - they are pretty strict about what they take - for example, if you've taken any meds or supplements (like Funegreek or allergy meds, they won't take it even if those things are fine for nursing).  They do pay for shipping if you aren't near a location.

So far this time I've donated what little I've pumped to a friend who had to stop nursing.  I also know an adoptive mama who is using donor milk so I plan to give all my extra to the two of them.

Either way is a great way to go - just depends on what you are more comfortable with.

GBCK

Different banks have different rules and such, I went through a HMBANAmilk bank that does NOT charge outrageous amts. to moms...I was just more comfortable doing it that way. 

(I also like that route because that milk is 'triaged', it goes to those babies who NEED milk first.)

Meg4583

Thanks for the responses

I saw the prices-- they can charge $2.50/oz-- I think thats insane. 

I've also been reading the human milk for human babies facebook page.. but good to know others have gone through them as well. 

Thanks-- I'll look into them more & maybe I can donate. I just want to know its going to someone who really needs it-- an adoptive family, sick baby, mom who can't produce.. something then just a milk bank.. 

 

BrittKav

drea_raye:

irishmorningstar:

seanandcallie:

BrittKav:

I donate through Human Milk 4 Human Babies (local). Each state has it's own chapter on Facebook. I personally love seeing who my milk is going to, it's much more gratifying and helps motivate me to keep pumping to help more babies.So far I've donated to a 9-month-old boy whose mom can't produce enough milk, and a 4-month-old girl who was adopted. I even got to hold the baby girl and spend some time talking to her mom and dad. It's a great feeling.

That was going to be my suggestion as well. Many banks charge an OUTRAGEOUS price to parents looking to purchase bm for their babies. With HM4HB, there is no middle man making a profit. I like that. 

 

This.  There are also Eats of Feets chapters in many states which I have donated through.  Skip the middle man and provide a free resource to those that need it. 

Human milk 4 human babies is the new name for Eats on Feets... not sure why they changed it, but it happened a couple of months ago...

Just FYI, they are now two separate organizations. Some EOF members didn't like the way it was being run so they branched off and created HM4HB. Both are great milk-sharing organizations. I recommended HM4HB simply because it's the one I've donated through and it has more members than EOF (at least in my state).