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Milk Donation - small "vent"

caduschercaduscher
in Eco-Friendly Family

I hear all of these posts about truly wonderful (not to mention blessed for having that type of supply!) mothers wanting to donate their milk to support a wonderful cause...but I honestly can't help but woner who is regulating these milk donation facilities, and what is actually happening to the milk once it is donated...

I would want to know the food that I am giving to my child was safe - which means that the donors are screened, and the milk is actually tested for unsafe properties (drugs, bacteria, disease....)  I'm torn as to actually how I can be assured that this is actually being done.  I'd like to think that all breastfeeding mothers are caring, thoughtful individuals with scrupulous policies on sanitizing their equipment and monitoring their health....But honeslty, how do I know that's the case?  What's stopping the lady across the street, who's on antibiotics and has a mad drinking problem, from donating her excess freezer stash?  Does this milk actually get testing for anything that that mother might have let the milk be subjected to?  What happens if this milk goes to a mother whose child is in the NICU, does it make a difference?

Don't even get me started about allergies, and what goes into the mothers milk may not be easily digested by the baby....

 Anyway, sorry if this was rambling, the whole Milk Donation process just truly makes me ask a lot of questions...

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Re: Milk Donation - small "vent"

  • *speedracer**speedracer* member
    maybe ask a milk bank?  i'm pretty sure it's not a free-for all, the milk and donors get tested.
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  • papagenapapagena member
    Are you talking donations to milk banks?  From what very little I understand, it take a bit of time and a lot of screening to be able to donate to those.  In the one I read about (and I'm sure most others) the milk is actually pasteurized before given to recipients. 
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  • JenniferJaneCJenniferJaneC member
    I was thinking about this today with respect to all of the posts on Twitter about donating breast milk to Haiti over the past few days.  Today I noticed that the tone changed completely - it was don't donate because of all the screening logistics involved and the total lack of infrastructure to do so right now.
    Jack Donovan, b. Christmas Eve, 2009.

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  • cindy453cindy453
    I looked into being a donor for a milk bank. They lightly pasteurize the milk. Also, I was going to have a blood test that tested for a TON of things, including a DNA test of some kind. I don't know how it works, but they would randomly test bottles of milk to ensure it was actually MY milk. Also, they would do cultures to make sure the milk didn't have any bacteria (from unsafe storage or whatever). It's a fairly intense process, so I would think that would weed out a lot of people. I mean... it's not like you get something for donating it. And it does involve a small personal cost. 
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  • smurfetteinredsmurfetteinred

    image*speedracer*:
    maybe ask a milk bank?  i'm pretty sure it's not a free-for all, the milk and donors get tested.

    ^^This. Milk banks are definitely not a free for all. The screening process is pretty intensive. It's basically like donating blood. They don't just let it through and assume that it's ok, they actually test you and your milk. 

    ETA: here's a pretty detailed list of the screening process

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  • tmp-214118062502913tmp-214118062502913

    Yes, they are pretty stringent.  If you have already frozen milk you think may expire, you can't give it to them because they can't test it.  You can't give milk to banks willy-nilly.

    However there are many Yahoo groups and other milk share groups where people offer milk to others for free without as much stringent testing.  However the parent knows which person is giving them the milk, they choose the level of testing they desire, etc.

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  • GypsyEsqGypsyEsq member
    I'm a donor with HMBANA the process for screening is very involved.  Although not difficult to complete.  My doctor and DD's pedi must sign off.  I take a blood test.  My milk is tested and pasteurized and then mixed with other donor's milk so the best mix of antibodies is provided to the babies who need it.  HMBANA has said repeatedly that if they can provide breastmilk to Haitians and there is infrastructure in place to do so they will.  However, the call for breastmilk is still necessary because the annual flu season has depleted our own U.S. supplies.  Either way the milk will be used to help babies in need.
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  • blissfully_caffeinatedblissfully_caffeinated

    If I have a good supply I plan on donating to a local milk bank. I have to get screened, can't drink alcohol, can't drink caffeine, can't smoke, can't take medication, etc. I have to get a note from my doctor and LO's doctor saying it won't effect either of us to donate. Once I donate milk, it will be pasteurized and then tested for any bacteria.

    The mom that lives across the street wouldn't be able to donate using the bank I'm using because she would have to get a letter from her doctor stating that she's not on any medication. Even if she somehow did that, the milk would be tested for alcohol and trashed before even being pasteurized. 

    As for allergies, all the families receiving breast milk are aware that the breast milk comes from someone who eats any and everything. I believe they have a few donors don't eat milk products and their milk can be donated to babies with certain allergies.

    If you want to read more about it, check out their website.

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