Milk bank donations

QOTR · September 2014

I'm been pumping since week 3 and building a stash. I usually just pump 4 ounces a day and for the past several weeks we've been bottle feeding that 4 ounces instead of freezing it.. So, it's not a huge stash by any means, but I haven't had to dip into it yet and I don't expect to have to use much of it any time soon. The first of it will start expiring in November so I started researching donating to a milk bank so I wouldn't be scrambling. I was surprised to see that their requirement is to donate 100 ounces initially. Is that normal? That is more than I'm willing to give up initially I think. I was thinking I would donate a few weeks' supply at a time to avoid having it expire.

spinsoffresonance · September 2014

I wanted to donate the little stash I had left after DD1 weaned herself but couldn't find a milk bank that would take less than 100-150oz. There are websites to donate directly to individuals you could try. Or just start rotating your stash. Give LO frozen milk a couple times a week to use up the older milk before it expires.

ns1 · September 2014

The one I'm using says over the time you're a donor you need to donate 100 oz total. If you have a milk depot for them nearby you can deliver it there yourself in smaller "batches." I think when you get into shipping it they put the larger (100-200 oz) requirements on it to ensure it stays frozen until it gets there. I haven't seen one that let you donate less than 100 oz overall though. I've heard people talk of a couple facebook milk donation set ups though.

kat8805 · September 2014

I keep hearing about a "Human Milk for Human Babies" group on FB. Check it out?

LunaBug924 · September 2014

I've been donating to a mom local to me that I met through the HM4HB Facebook page. There is no minimum requirement for how much you donate. Just find your local page, post what you have available and a little info about yourself (are you eating dairy, taking any meds, smoke, drink?) Women will message you and you basically just choose whoever you want and set up a time and place to meet.

mrsbtobe20122 · September 2014

I donated ~200 oz to a mom of twins locally. The local bank charges $4/ounce, so I would never donate to them regardless of ounce requirement. It breaks my heart that they would gouge moms trying to feed their babies with BM like that.

jenb_99 · September 2014

Boo. I'm DQ'd from our local program bc I'm on Wellbutrin. I have about a hundred ounces going to waste.

jenb_99 · September 2014

mrsbtobe20122 said:
I donated ~200 oz to a mom of twins locally. The local bank charges $4/ounce, so I would never donate to them regardless of ounce requirement. It breaks my heart that they would gouge moms trying to feed their babies with BM like that.

Holy cow...that's a hundred bucks a day for the average baby! After they pasteurize it, is it still that much better than formula?

ns1 · September 2014

From my understanding, a lot of the milk from the non profit hmbana banks goes to sick / fragile/ premie babies and is one way to try to help them thrive and grow better. Also, since donors through these banks have to have blood testing, it's possibly a safer route for those little babies.

spinsoffresonance · September 2014

jenb_99 said:
Boo. I'm DQ'd from our local program bc I'm on Wellbutrin. I have about a hundred ounces going to waste.

I'm disqualified from all milk banks because I grew up in Europe. Apparently I have mad cow diseased milk!

Junebug060609 · September 2014

Call your milk bank. I donated to one when DS was little. Only had 50oz and they required 100oz. They took it. I had to ditch it bc it turns out I have excess lipase and DS wouldn't drink my thawed milk. The milk bank can still use it.

In the meantime, OP, why don't you rotate your stash? Give baby thawed milk and freeze the new.

QOTR · September 2014

Thanks for all the suggestions. Including the one to rotate the stash (d'oh!).

jenb_99 · September 2014

ns1 said:
From my understanding, a lot of the milk from the non profit hmbana banks goes to sick / fragile/ premie babies and is one way to try to help them thrive and grow better. Also, since donors through these banks have to have blood testing, it's possibly a safer route for those little babies.

Ah, that makes sense, especially if hospitals and insurance companies will pay for it.

mrsbtobe20122 · September 2014

kitchencolors said:

mrsbtobe20122 said:

I donated ~200 oz to a mom of twins locally. The local bank charges $4/ounce, so I would never donate to them regardless of ounce requirement. It breaks my heart that they would gouge moms trying to feed their babies with BM like that.

So I would not donate to a for-profit bank personally. That said, even nonprofit milk banks have to charge a LOT for milk because they have to pasteurize it and test it. It's a super expensive process.

@kitchencolors‌ ---It's not for profit. I have a hard time believing it's THAT expensive... As they are charging per oz what you can buy a gallon of milk for.

Idk why quotes are not working for me.

QOTR · November 2014

I just completed the screening process and will be donating 100 ounces next week. I realized that for the first 100 ounces or more that I froze that I had not yet eliminated dairy and soy, so I won't really miss it. For anyone considering it, it was a pretty easy process. I did a phone interview, emailed in some paperwork and then did a simple blood draw. They have several locations where I can drop it off.

pandadair · November 2014

@kitchencolors I will have to call HMBANA. The company that does donations here through Texas Childrens Hospital disqualifies for past pos HPV test, but it doesn't look like HMBANA does. I have at least 5oz extra per day and it would kill me to toss it once I run out of freezer space.

IBackBevo · November 2014

I donated to a friend (actually an ex) whose wife had a double mastectomy due to breast cancer. But that was only because ds1 could not drink the milk due to an allergy. You might put it out there on Facebook. Sometimes a friend of a friend will know someone.

With that said, if you didn't want to donate, you could just rotate it out. Freeze what you pump now and thaw the old stuff and give to your baby. That is what I do.

Meg&Austin · November 2014

Where I donated mine there was no stipulations for the beginning but I did read that it should be 200oz total by the end. Which I don't think they'd be that stick they should be happy to get any really.

babyaotw · November 2014

I use donor milk from my SIL. It covers what I can't pump to make him happy at daycare. It is such a relief, and it's really great that some of you are doing it! I'll reiterate what people said about Human Milk for Human Babies. I have friend who do this. You may find a local momma in need!

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