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Original poster

Have you donated breastmilk?

17 replies

Cardiffclare88 · 08/12/2018 23:37

Can you share your experience and the process?

I usually donate blood but can’t because I’ve just had a baby. My supply seems good-not leaking all over the bed at night but more than adequate for my baby. How do I know when or if i can donate milk? Is there a time at which I should wait to be sure I’ve got enough to meet my baby’s needs? I’ve read it can take six weeks to establish supply, does that mean it can be enough earlier and dry up later? Also, would I be provided with a pimp? X

OP posts:

LookImAHooman · 09/12/2018 00:11

I have, and it was a worthwhile experience. Good on you for considering it

I personally would only give to NHS banks. It means everything is screened to the nth degree for safety, and you can be certain it’s going to help babies in qualified need - and probably a personal thing but for me it should be altruistic rather than profitable. I’m very lucky to have my healthy DC and even more lucky to have been in a position to help those babies having a tougher time.

LookImAHooman · 09/12/2018 00:13

Forgot the link!

www.amazingbreastmilk.nhs.uk/support/milk-banks/

Our local NHS bank accepted donations from 2-6 months post partum (your milk changes after that so it’s not suitable for very young babies). Not sure about pump supply as I already had one. Worth asking your local bank/s.

Original poster

Cardiffclare88 · 09/12/2018 03:16

@LookImaHooman, thank you! Yes, I am looking at NHS only. Can you tell me
More about what the process was actually like? Did you pump extra alongside feeding your baby or did you just donate extra that was in the freezer? If you pumped alongside how much did you have before you knew it was safe to “share”?

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Breast & bottle feeding Families

widgetbeana · 09/12/2018 07:33

My baby was in NICU after she was born, not for very long thankfully. But during this time she was eating little or nothing. I however seemed to take to milk production like I was a cow in a previous life! As I was sitting in NICU each day I would pump to feel more comfortable. My dd didn't need all of it so I asked to donate the rest. They gave me some health forms to fill in (any meds I was taking etc).

I didn't donate any for three months once she was home. Then I started to pump at just before bedtime and freeze those bags for the hospital. (My neighbour was a nurse so she brought it in for me). The only other thing to say was when I was on antibiotics I couldn't give my milk. Same if I took any pain meds (paracetamol etc).

CuckooSings · 09/12/2018 08:28

I donated from when dd1 was 6 weeks till she was a year old (she was brestfed until 2 but a second hyperemis pregnancy + a toddler made it impossible). At the time i was living in Tameside and donated to the NICU milk bank at Tameside Hospital. I had to fill in a health survey and i think had to have a blood test to check i was healthy - this was 10 years ago so things have more than likely changed!
I had an oversupply of milk so produced enough to fill a drawer in the freezer every fortnight which was collected by a lady on a motorbike. Twice a day i expressed in each breast while feeding dd1 - right in the morning, left in the afternoon. I just used a hand pump and found it pretty straightforward. I had to put the milk into bags supplied by the hospital and label with the date and amount then freeze. I also had to sterilize the pump between feeds so despite breastfeeding bought a steraliser. I was offered one on loan from the hospital but decided to invest as i hoped dd1 would eventually be mix fed. That never happened! The unit said they were happy for any amount and would arrange collection around me.
I had a 1 month break after a 2 week course of antibiotics for mastis (2 weeks while on the drugs and 2 weeks afterwards). So i did need to keep them updated about my health. Considering the milk was going to prem babies i was perfectly happy to update them.
With dd2 + 3 i was living in Newcastle upon Tyne and they do not have a milk bank and i felt slightly uncomfortable with a private arrangement. That was soul destroying tho as i had to express to manage my oversupply and as none of my children would take a bottle had to pour it down the sink.
I found donating milk really easy and the milk bank incredibly helpful. I got a certificate at the end saying how much i donated in total and how many babies i had fed and that made it very real.
Do be aware (putting my breastfeeding support volunteer hat on) that not all women can express. Even if you get no milk it does not mean your baby is not getting enough. Babies are very efficient feeders and not all boobs are fooled by machines :-) my friend breastfed three children and they were all bang on their growth lines but even with an electric pump couldn't get a drop. If you do want to donate try expressing to see if a)its comfortable and b) it works. Expressing at the same time every day creates a demand for extra milk that your body will produce.
Hope that helps. My advice is to ring your nearest milk bank for a chat and ask questions.

CuckooSings · 09/12/2018 08:31

www.northwesthmb.org.uk/donate/

This was the bank i donated too. It has changed slightly in the last 10 years

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 09/12/2018 09:54

Yes I donated over a number of years

Ds1 wouldnt breastfeed for about 6 weeks so i expressed a lot

Then i was so paranoid that i kept expressing, when he was on one breast in the morning i would express more than a bottle on the other side

Once i realised donation was a thing i contacted the local hospital and they sent a motorcycle courier round

I did it with the other two children as well, but I'd say that i wasn't producing as much by the time baby 3 turned up

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 09/12/2018 09:55

Oh i didnt get a pump

I already had one...had to go out and buy it thanks to lazy bloody ds1

LookImAHooman · 09/12/2018 09:56

*Cardiffclare my local NHS bank only take you from two months pp so donors should be well established then. I had to commit to a minimum donation amount over the four months (to make it cost and time effective for them) - I think it was three litres. You have to have blood tests beforehand; they send the form out and then you just pop down to your GP. Doesn’t take very long. Only thing to note is they can only take milk in the containers they supply, so anything you express and freeze before you receive those can’t be donated (but could always be used for your own DC!).

TheGreenDot · 09/12/2018 09:59

I fed baby. Washed. Throughly. Also quick wash of breast pump Then expressesed moved milk to bottles provided and froze them. Fill labels with dates. When I had ten or so I’d text. He come pick up.

I had some rejected because there was to much of me in it. Odd expression she used.

But a lot was useable and I felt good but exhausted for doing it.

gigglingHyena · 09/12/2018 16:01

I have but quite a few years ago so no doubt things have changed.

I think I started when my baby was a couple of months old and we had a bit of routine together. I used to express a couple of times a day while feeding on he other side, my supply quickly adjusted and a did notice the days I skipped. I seem to remember that I gave consent for them to have access to my blood tests that I'd had when pregnant, I don't remember having more.

Hospital supplied the bottle s which came ready sterilised. I had to supply pump and steriliser. Unlike pumping for an older baby I did need to keep on sterilising everything and the amount of time byou can keep he milk frozen is shorter. Got caught out as I was waiting to have a decent batch for them to collect but they couldn't use the earliest bottles.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 09/12/2018 16:04

I wasn’t allowed to because I’d previously had a blood transfusion.

Oldraver · 09/12/2018 16:14

DS's first milk when he was born a tad early was DBM so I was only too glad to donate back.

Did it for a few months when he was between 2-6 months. Had a bit of a traipse to the hospital so needed a good cool bag to make sure it didnt start to defrost.

We were for a time on the UKAMB website but was quite a while ago. I wish I had done it for longer but DS was a bit ill so was pre-occupied

Justlikedevon · 09/12/2018 17:02

My mum did in the 70s while in hospital with me. Another mum had had twins and was quite poorly so my mum donated milk for her little boys until she was well enough to feed them herself.

mortifiedmama · 09/12/2018 17:34

I have. Through the north west milk bank. They loaned me a pump. They also gave me a freezer thermometer, and a temperature record sheet and bottles for storage.

You have to make your first donation before baby is 6 months and can only donate until they are 9 months.

I responded well to the pump. I fed one side, pumped the other then switched baby to side 2 and pump to side 1 - I'd get 5 ounces 150ml) one side and 2-3 (90ml) the other most pumps, sometimes more.

They like you to donate at least 2 litres a month to make it worthwhile for them. I donated more than 10 litres in the 4 months I was doing it, but I only pumped once a day.

mortifiedmama · 09/12/2018 17:35

And I had to get my practice nurse to do a blood sample for be, which got sent to the milk bank for analysis.

Worieddd · 09/12/2018 17:56

What amazing women you all are

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