Donating my milk to a friend?

BoyOhBoys · March 2014

My friend is due in May and she just found out she can't breastfeed due to some meds she's on.

I have an overflowing freezer stash. I was thinking of offering her some of my milk.

Right now my son only takes about 1 - 3 oz twice a day from the freezer while I am at work. I know when he is bigger he will need more.

Would I end up having to pump extra to feed both our kids?

I guess I am just asking what to expect before I offer to give her some milk.

I don't want to spread myself too thin.

CNYBride05 · March 2014

Yes you'd have to pump extra since 2>1, but you wouldn't be obligated to feed her kid entirely - if she's open and interested in donor milk, whatever you can give is more than she has.

BoyOhBoys · March 2014

That makes sense.

katharine25 · March 2014

I donated once to a friend - I gave her all the milk I had pumped to date (LO was only 3-4 months at the time) and kept 100 oz for myself as back up, and then just worked to rebuild, but at the time I wasn't using any of it and still had 2 months to stock pile. I make 1-2 bottles less pumping at work than LO is eating now, so I dip into my stash but not drastically since I'm only away 2-3 days a week, and can sometimes make those bottles up. I have to say I couldn't be so generous with my stash now as I was, because I'm just not an abundant pumper.

mommatotwo2 · March 2014

How long are you at work that your baby takes only 2 to 6 oz? How old is baby? I'd be hesitant to donate unless my LO was near a year and/or I had a major excess of milk that was near expiration. Are you pumping to replace feedings LO gets while u are at work? If you are relying on freezer stash alone, know that it will start to go quickly if you aren't replacing it.

BoyOhBoys · March 2014

casey78 said:

That is a beautiful gift you are thinking of giving. Yes, you'd have to tell your body to make enough for two rather than one, although any amount may be appreciated if she is interested. I'd want to know how you got your freezer stash and why you are dipping into it now. If you are currently taking from freezer stash, does that mean your supply has dipped enough not to cover LOs needs? How long do you want to provide LO with bm? Etc

I started when I was on Mat leave. I started pumping after one feed about a month before i returned.

When I went back to work I started pumping at 10 & 3. I come home at lunch and nurse. My son is reverse cycling and rarely eats while I am at work then nurses all evening.

When I pump at work i get 4-6oz at the 10:00 session and 3-4oz at the 3:00 session. My son, refusing the bottle, is getting 1-3 oz at 10 & 3 on a good day.

So I have all this milk in the freezer. Stupid me assumed he would just take a bottle and I froze all my milk in 4oz bags and at the end of some days, I am pouring it down the drain and it KILLS me.

My son is a heafty 17lb 3.5 month old so I know he isn't starving.

BoyOhBoys · March 2014

mommatotwo2 said:

How long are you at work that your baby takes only 2 to 6 oz? How old is baby? I'd be hesitant to donate unless my LO was near a year and/or I had a major excess of milk that was near expiration. Are you pumping to replace feedings LO gets while u are at work? If you are relying on freezer stash alone, know that it will start to go quickly if you aren't replacing it.

I think I answered everything in my reply to Casey.

I am sure I am doing this BF thing all wrong...

My girlfriend said if all I could give her was a weeks worth, she would be grateful.

Would her baby get formilk/hindmilk imbalance though? Would it matter that her newborn is drinking milk my body produced for a 3 month old?

lilies&orchids · March 2014

When my LO was a few months old I was pumping extra, but not an oversupply. I found out that a mom-friend at my son's school would be adopting and I thought about asking her if she would like some of my extra milk. Now, my LO is 7 months and I don't always produce the excess that I used to. I think it's a VERY sweet offer, but your supply may change over time so I agree with mommatotwo that I would probably only donate closer to LO being a year old. That being said, I have a few close friends that I would do anything for, including trying to pump extra if they needed and wanted it.

BoyOhBoys · March 2014

Well ladies, it's a moot point now.

Her husband is skeeved out by the idea...

Thank you for your advice.

SV917 · March 2014

BoyOhBoys said:

Well ladies, it's a moot point now.
Her husband is skeeved out by the idea...

Thank you for your advice.

But drinking milk from a cow isn't skeevy? People are weird.

girlmama83 · March 2014

BoyOhBoys said:
Well ladies, it's a moot point now.
Her husband is skeeved out by the idea...

Thank you for your advice.

That's too bad. He should educate himself on the benefits of breastmilk.

cheerbuddyloves · March 2014

I have that argument with my husband all the time. Cows are to make milk for their babies...but us humans get in on the act. Human milk is made for humans, so why is that gross?!

Want a personalized experience?

Donating my milk to a friend?

Re: Donating my milk to a friend?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards