AIBU to expect the milk bank to collect the milk I've expressed as promised so I can fit food into my freezer?!

[cfc]

I donate milk and have done since I had the baby, more or less.

They said that they'd collect it every week, which was great as I told them I hadn't much space (I can't drop it off as it has to be labeled up etc, I asked this of them).

So I've no space for frozen food now. I rang them (again) and some lady answered the phone and when I asked to speak to someone about the milk bank, she said "oh, * isn't here at the moment" I said can I leave a message for her please to which she went Sigh "ok, just let me get a pen"....and off she went in a hump, returning with another grumpy "ok".

I left the msg just saying I had milk ready for collection, my name and number just in case. This was last week and I've still not heard from them! I might have to throw some out! It's a pain living without frozen fodd - esp as hubby is away in America at the mo so I can't rely on him to pick up fresh stuff.

I love donating and I'm good at it. I can't bear the thought of throwing this precious milk away but if they don't come soon I will have to.

I am off now to leave another message.

[muddleduck]

I tried donating to one of these, but after then send me the wrong forms three times in a row I figured that they didn't really want my milk

who deals with all this? round here it is the nurses in the baby unit and I always got the feeling they had more important things to do, which they probably did.

[dilemma456]

Message withdrawn

[cfc]

God, I hope I don't have to chuck it away. To be honest, I won't throw it - I'll just do a daily trip if I have to!! Woe is me, eh?!

When I got started they were brilliant - came round to me, filled in the forms with me, took blood there and then, took the milk I'd already expressed for storage so that when I was passed fit it would be used.

I don't know who runs it but would imagine it's volunteers which is fine, but I made it patently clear that I didn't have much storage and a lot of milk to give so it would have to be regular collection for it to work - as I have to pump now I've established baby's milk and the SCBU's milk so I have too much if I stop pumping for the SCBUs. I don't want to have to pump and dump.

ANyway, will continue with the calls to them.

[babyignoramus]

If you live near Brighton I'll have it!

[CarGirl]

at our local bank you have to deliver it yourself and pay for parking! Nightmare!

Still mananged to donate the minimum required though thankfully.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

YANBU - you are trying to do a great thing there.

Have you got any good neighbours who could store it for you?

[chegirl]

I am really interested in this thread. I was all set to donate with DS3. I always have loads of milk and wanted to do something as I couldnt give blood or bone marrow after the birth.

It never happened. I spoke to them, filled in the forms and waited, and waited an waited.

Shame

I am sure they are understaffed and low on resources but its still a shame.

[MrsOlf]

cfc and muddleduck - you must live near me. I tried to donate with DD1 and after several phone calls, wrong information being sent twice, being told I had to deliver it to local hospital on a certain morning every week and then never being sent the labels for the milk (or any containers) I gave it up as a lost cause. Shame really as I was (literally) awash with milk for months!

[artifarti]

I also gave it up as a lost cause after endless phone calls never returned. And this was after the first local hospital I tried refused me as 'you won't have enough to feed your own DS if you haven't weaned him' WTF?! (and which also contradicted the fact that they wouldn't take milk after 6 months!!!)

Most of it went on DS's porridge and several bags still languish out of date at the back of the freezer.

[cfc]

babyignoramus - I would give it to you! We're about 150 miles away though.

I wouldn't mind dropping it off myself at all, but I can't. Anyway, the lady is coming tonight to drop off some more bottles and will collect them tomorrow on the way to work. I think they do a brilliant job as it's over and above their actual job description - but it's such a great thing for new little babies to have, surely the govt should provide proper funding for it so it's run in a proper professional and efficient manner and we can utilise all those of us willing to donate.

It's sad to think that they've alienated peeps on here due to their ineptitude.

[imaynotbeperfectbutimokmummy]

My word - you women are amazing!

[CarGirl]

artifarti that's the most horrific thing I've heard.

My local hospital told me that if they have to buy/sell the milk once it's pausterised then it goes for £70 a litre (4 years ago!) so they always refer to it as liquid gold. I was gutted that I couldn't donate some of my earliest milk that was all colustrumy still because I had mastitis and on antibiotics . I was also gutted that because I went back to work I couldn't express enough to donate and leave behind for dd.

[Qally]

I offered to donate. Emailed, called twice. I was able to offer about 200ml a day. Nobody ever, ever called me back.

I've stopped expressing now DS is 9 months, but that could have been around 50 litres of milk. Makes me a bit when they go on about how much they need donors.