Does anyone express for a milk bank?

[Lyra75]

Hi there, does anyone express for a milk bank? I've been reading about it on line but see that you should give your first donation before your child is six months. Do you know why this is? I've been expressing lots for when I go back to work, but now have quite a surplus. I plan to keep my supply up by still expressing frequently so hopefully i will still have surplus that i could donate, but don't know if they'll accept me. Just interested in anyone else's experiences.

Thanks

[BabiesEverywhere]

I wanted to but they won't take my milk as I had a blood transfusion

[Coolmama]

You need to have a blood test done before they will take any previously expressed milk IIRC - after that, you can keep donating until you stop expressing. I think that the reason they want "6-month or less" milk is because it is at it's richest in terms of immunities etc and because that is the milk that is given to the really ill preemmies and newly operated little babies etc whose systems need all the help they can get.
I did this for a while and it was really easy

[jes74]

i express for a milk bank and at the moment the requirement for them is that you start before your baby is four months and have to stop when they get to six months, the blood test in particular looks not just for you being infection free but also if your iron levels are ok, iron depletes in breast milk after six months. Ebm is therefore at best between 0-6 months to meet the requirements. It is so simple most banks will come out to you to take your blood test and collect milk, they will also send you pre sterile 100ml containers to collect the milk in. All they ask is you store the milkin the fridge in a tupperware container above any milk products and likewise store the bottles in the freezer again within a container and that you keep your pump and hands clean for expressing, all of which is common sense. they except most peop[le as long as your blood test is fine, you dont smoke, have had a transfusion, take drugs this can include some prescription drugs,or drink excess alcohol. if you phone your nearest milk bank they will ask a set of questions and tell you yes or no subject to blood test,easy -sorry this is long essay now over

[jes74]

also sorry for lack of punctuation and spelling, feeding ds and typing

[workstostaysane]

i think i started when dd was 3 0r 4 months, i stopped when she was 1 as i was just a bit knackered, but could have continued. just contact the bank and ask them if they will do blood tests and take your milk. IME, they are so desperate for donations that they will usually bend over backwards to make it possible for you to donate.
well worth doing.

[CarGirl]

I did it was easy, kept taking it around as I needed the room back in my freezer. They gave me sterile containers to stick in the freezer and showed me where to store it in their freezer etc.

[jes74]

Just looked at my info sheet when i started 6wks ago with birmingham milk bank, it says you must enrol with them b4 baby is four months and you can donate until they are six months, you cannot donate if in the last twelve months you have had hepatitis or jaundice, had ears,nose,face or body pierced, had a tattoo or semi-permanent make up, recieved a transfusion outside the uk, had acupuncture unless by the nhs, you are hiv positive or think you maybe,have ever had hepatitis b or c or think you may have or have ever been injected with illegal or non-prescribed drugs including body building drugs. I also know they are always desperate for donors to come forwards, the worst they can say is no, and at best you end up helping some babies in neonatal intensive care units by reducing their chances of catching infections-the wonder that is breast milk.

[maygirl]

I only started donating at 1year in, and I called to check if they still wanted it several months later and they said I could donate as long as I wanted too. This particular milk bank gives donor milk to term babies, so maybe thats where mine went!

[Bogwoppit]

i've been donating & our milk bank let you carry on as long as you want too. I would contact your local milk bank & ask.