Has anybody donated breastmilk?

[JugglingMum17]

I wanted to donate breastmilk to the hospital for premature babies who needed breastmilk and wondered if anybody had done it?

If so, what was your experience?

[Artioo2]

Yes, I donated milk to a hospital milk bank. I had to have a blood test done at the GP and fill in a form that they sent me about my health and when the milk was expressed, how long ago I gave birth etc. They sent a motorcycle courier with an ice box to pick up the frozen milk. It was all fine and very straightforward.

[Matchstickbox]

I have same as pp.
make sure you wash boobs and sterilise all bottle throughly before expressing donated milk.

[Firenight]

I've donated informally through Human Milk For Human Babies. Also very straightforward - involving a freezer pick-up from a grateful family.

[savagehk]

Yes, same as others. Only annoying thing was the extra bloods! I also needed to keep a temperature log of the freezer to ensure it was always at least -18 deg C.
Here the milk bank provided sterile plastic bottles so no sterilising of bottles needed, and they didn't want you to wash your boobs beforehand either, just hands. I built one extra express into my daily 'routine' and soon got a full 5oz bottle in very little time, and they collected about once a month.
Intending to do this again once my milk comes in with this baby (currently waiting for baby to make an appearance!).

[savagehk]

I also donated via human milk for human babies, particularly when my baby came down with chicken pox. Figured the odds of infection from my milk were minute, but still not worth risking for the prem babies, so offered it (with full disclosure!) on human milk for human babies.

[gruber]

Yes. I did through my nearest big hospital for their big milk bank for preemies. I had to have a blood test first & they sent me bottles to freeze it in. They were super helpful and always on the phone if I had a question, when I had a batch of 10/20 bottles they would come by and pick up from me. I had milk and spare coming out of me and it really got me into a good rhythm so I had loads expressed for DS when I went
Back to work and also some for the preemies.

[JugglingMum17]

That is brilliant well done all!!

I am fine with doing blood test etc because I used to donate blood.

I am going to do via the hospital.

That is also great somebody used to collect from you all that is super handy.

Something I would love to do whilst I can and will be great knowing that I have helped premature babies.

Are there any restrictions as to when you gave birth yourself ...ie do they prefer breast milk whilst you are feeding a month old baby or is it okay if baby you are feeding is 6 months or a year? The reason I am asking is because they say breast milk changes according to the age of the baby

[RufusTheRenegadeReindeer]

juggling

From what I remember they took it for ages

And yes having someone come and get it was very handy

[JugglingMum17]

Thank you for the information that is brilliant

[CrazySexyCool123]

You can donate between 6 weeks and 6 months. They might want you to finish earlier though if they're full.

[JugglingMum17]

Thanks Crazy. I still have time then as my LO is 3 months.

Bit of a dumb question but do they give you a thank you email or certificate because I know my work will want to put it in the newsletter and they could show the thank email/letter in the newsletter

[Marmite27]

I donated c.500 oz to 3 different families via human milk for human babies. 2 picked up from my house, the other I sent via courier.

The last one the lady was on her way home from a weekend away and the baby was crying and hungry when they arrived after being stuck in traffic. Mum where the nearest place she could buy formula was. Told her not to be silly she could have some fresh out the fridge. We both had a cup of tea and a chat.

That was the last one and a lovely way to end.

[Marmite27]

*mim asked

[Marmite27]

Ffs, I give up!

[blue2014]

I really wanted to but my local hospital will only accept if you can give 3 litres (over 6 months) and I just don't make that much

[Rodent01]

Hi, just come accross this thread. 28 weeks with Dd2, bf dd1 but have since had breast cancer and a double mastectomy so bf is obviously not a possibility this time, which I am gutted by, but being alive and well was more important than the ability to potentially breastfeed as there were no guarantees I could conceive again.

@katiegg, did you ask for donor milk at hospital or were you offered it?? Was it due to premature birth?!

I was just assuming I would just go straight for formula, didn't really think about donor milk - do hospitals have milk banks??

Any info welcome!

Thanks!

[Marmite27]

In my area, the hospital milk banks are just for premie inpatients.

This was one of the reasons I donated through HM4HB - our hospitals were overflowing at the time and I'd run out of freezer space and didn't want it to go to waste.

[Rodent01]

Just googled my hospital which does have a milk bank, but like you say, priority for preemies and multiples etc.

Ah well, I was already at peace with FF from minute one of dds life - the fact I am having this child is nothing short of an unbelievable miracle, this just might have been a bonus if it was a possibility!!!

[P1nkP0ppy]

I did it 38 and 36 years ago, it was frozen and collected by courier. It went to premies at a local DGH. It was very easy, I had more than enough milk for the DC so seemed very logical. It was collected every 20 bottles, I didn't keep count but I breastfed dc1 for 10 months and dc2 for 4 months so probably quite a bit!

[Marmite27]

Rodent - FF or BF it makes not one jot of difference as long as a baby is fed.

I spent the best part of a year attached to a breast pump as DD couldn't latch so every feed was expressed. I got the bad bits from both methods! I look back now and think I was suffering from temporary insanity. I wouldn't do it again if I had the choice.

Enjoy your miracle

[Rodent01]

@marmite. you are so right I know!!

Not having any choice makes it very guilt free, no insane sleep deprived chasing of dreams, FF is the only option and will be fine - just fear of unknown, I was very lucky to have bf easily the first time so FF seems harder. (Bar dds dislike of one breast which turned out to have a massive tumour in it!)

[savagehk]

rodent you can request milk via human milk for human babies if you'd like to try donated milk. It's got a Facebook page.

[Rodent01]

Thanks! Reading up, hospital banks are very much more for those in need, hopefully my baby will be full term and fine therefore it's just the lack of ability of mine to produce milk and there are lots of people in this world in the position for all kinds of reasons!

[Artioo2]

I have also donated directly to an individual via a Facebook page (I think it was Human Milk for Human Babies). I did it because I had a large stock of frozen milk and it had been frozen too long for the hospital to take. There's some controversy about this kind of direct donation, because of the health risks when donors aren't screened, but I felt comfortable doing it directly because I'd had the blood tests done for hospital donating and was able to send the family I was donating to evidence of this.