to not donate breast milk because hospital have made it too complicated

[ontheedgeofwhatever]

When I had DD I donated a lot of breast milk to the milk bank and the hospital sent someone out to pick it up when I phoned them to arrange it. I provided the pump, the stereliser,freezer space and obviously milk they also did the relevent blood tests at home and gave me little storage bottles. there were no problems

So.... now DS is 8 weeks old and I've properly established breast feeding and have loads to spare I've called them up again only to be told they will post out the bottles and when I've collected and stored a minimum of 2.5 litres I should telephone them for a form then go to my doctor and have the blood sample taken. I should then bring the milk AND the blood in a cool bag to the hospital between the hours of 9-12 on Tuesday or Thursday only. they also want me to buy a thermometer and measure and record my freezer temperature every morning and evening and return the sheets with the milk / blood.

I don't drive and its a £16 round taxi trip to the hospital or about an hour each way by bus. AIBU to think they've made it far to complicated and not donate even though I feel I should?

Volunteer motorcyclists (the Blood Bikes) collect donor milk increasingly now on behalf of milk banks. This is growing nationwide but quite a few milk banks now have the means to collect milk from donors even if they live a long way from the bank...Check out SERV, Freewheelers, White Knights... The volunteers are amazing! They often even pay their own petrol. For more info see:

Volunteer motorcyclists (the Blood Bikes) are increasingly helping to collect donor milk form mums' homes and deliver it to the milk bank. Have posted link to a film about it on U.K.A.M.B. Facebook page.

Message to ontheedgeofwhatever I haven't received an email - please try again: [email protected] Please mark for the attention of Gillian so it quickly gets forwarded to me. Many thanks

Oh for fucks sake

People like you saved my Sons little life.

Yadnbu

x

I remember trying to figure out about donating milk when dd was teeny. It did seem very complicated to my (admittedly sleep-deprived) brain so I decided to think about it when I was less tired. That day didn't arrive until she was about 18 months and it was far too late.

Everydrop -will that email still be active in a few months? I've just found out I'm pregnant with no 2 so I could be a donor next summer.

everydrop I've tried again

I am going to keep trying to find a way. I met a mother this morning who has gorgeous 8 month old jtwin boys who were both fed on donated milk and I've just seen solesources message.

If it was MY baby I'd want someone else to make the effort so I am determined to find a way

MummyofKatie - yes, UKAMB email is here to stay. Congratulations and hope that this time next year you are happily breastfeeding and donating and that it is getting easier for all mothers to donate who want to without unnecessary obstacles. UKAMB will be continuing to do all we can to promote easy and hassle free donating to all milk banks and not just some.
Onthe edge - thanks and if I can help just get in touch.

I donated through Wirral milk bank and it was a doddle. They sent me the bloodiest kit, pump, bottles, steriliser bags and had a very lovely lady collect from me, they also sent a freezer thermometer.

Putting obstacles in the way will mean donations drop, formula is used more widely thereby lining the pockets of the formula manufacturers.

I should also add that I only stopped when DS2 was 1. I Didn't know about milk banking when I had ds1.

Thyroxine should be fine as long as your blood levels are being routinely monitored - it just brings them up to normal. UKAMB website lists medications that can be taken by mums and still donate. www.ukamb.org/donating-milk/medication-and-donating-breastmilk/ Such a shame when mothers are given mis-information. Please support UKAMB (very small charity) and help us get this information out there to all midwives, health visitors, neonatal staff, GP's and breastfeeding supporters.

I take thyroxine. That was no problem.

It's not "pc" but I ended up passing my freezer stock to a friend who was using milk from a donor bank.

Obviously the friend knew I hadn't had the tests etc, but needed the milk to top up her ds quickly and i had some spare.

You could make it known at any baby groups you attend that you have milk - you'd be surprised how many mums would accept it (as they'd prefer breast milk top ups rather than formula).

Apparently, because I've had IVF, I wasn't allowed to supply to a milk bank due to risk of something in my blood, not milk (perhaps the previous poster who works for an agency could expand on this?)

In answer to GodosaDj: if in the past you have had IVF that involved the use of donor eggs, a donated embryo or certain gonadotrophins (hormones) that have been derived from some human sources then you can't donate blood and the exclusion categories for breastmilk donors are based on those for blood donors. The reason is to do with vCJD (human form of mad cow disease). There is no evidence that this is transmitted through breastmilk but there are theoretical reasons why it might be and the time lapse since the BSE problem hasn't been long enough to rule it out. By excluding these mothers, milk banks are fulfilling their legal obligations to follow precautionary principles. Other IVF treatments should be okay but milk banks will want to check. Can I ask - was the baby who was on donor milk (but who also had your milk to prevent the use of formula) in hospital or at home? By the way I don't work for an agency, I am a volunteer to UKAMB but my paid job is that I have worked in a milk bank since my children were babies and they are now 21 and 23. I was a donor with each of them when they were babies and I breastfed them for 5 years between them. Many milk banks have people working in them who have also been donors or who are long time breastfeeding supporters and advocates which is why, going back to the original question of this thread, it isn't usually the milk bank staff who impose restrictions that make donating difficult! Hope my answers have been helpful.

That all rings true. Yes. Dd was from an egg donor (close family relative). I went to put in my previous post something about CJD but stopped as couldn't remember if I was making things up (I was v sleep deprived when I enquired about donating milk)

The baby who has had my milk is at home and nearly 16 weeks old. Just not putting in weight and so mum is giving top ups. I did tell the mum about IVF and how I wasn't allowed to donate and she was more than happy to accept still.

Do you, personally, think there is a risk? surely if there was, then my dd would be at risk? I recall something about a 20 year window or am I making that up!

Your answer is v helpful btw.

And it must be a very satisfying voluntary job that you do. I volunteer as a peer support worker- never done voluntary work before and only a few weeks in, I find it very rewarding

Personally? I think there's a greater chance of you winning the Euromillions jackpot than of a baby developing vCJD as a result of being breastfed or donor milk fed by a mother because she became pregnant as a result of an egg donation...
Yes - love it. Good luck with your peer supporting.