These days, there are lot of options for parents who have more milk than their baby needs. When your freezer starts filling up, what if you could clear some space, still ensure you have enough milk for your baby, and make a difference, all at the same time? Well, the good news is you can—and that is through human milk donation!
By donating your excess milk to a nonprofit milk bank, like Mothers’ Milk Bank, you can truly help save the lives of fragile babies across the country. When you donate your milk, it won’t just sit on a shelf or in a freezer; our team makes sure it gets to the babies who need it as soon as possible. And, when you become a milk donor, you become part of a community of other altruistic families dedicated to making an incredible impact together.
We always say that human milk is magic, and donating it takes that magic to the next level. Here are three of the biggest ways human milk donation makes a difference:
Hospital Care: Donor human milk is vital for premature and fragile infants in hospitals. This milk is often used in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) to mitigate the risk of diseases like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening illness almost exclusively affecting premature babies with a mortality rate as high as 50%. Using donor human milk instead of formula in premature and fragile infants significantly decreases the instances of NEC, quite literally saving lives.
Initial Supplementation: At Mothers’ Milk Bank, we’ve always believed that donor human milk is the first choice for all infants, and multiple national and international groups agree. In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, “If a mother’s own milk is unavailable despite significant lactation support, pasteurized donor human milk should be used.”¹ Donor human milk can be used as bridge milk for families in the time between their baby’s birth and when the parent’s own milk comes in, not only helping babies get fed, but also helping jumpstart the parent’s own breast/chestfeeding journey. That means your extra milk can help every baby get the best start in life!
Alternate Nutrition Source: Sometimes, parents simply need some extra support feeding their babies. Breast/chestfeeding is already hard enough, and we hear from parents all the time who want to feed their babies human milk, but just can’t seem to make enough of it. Plenty of parents out there also have their own medical conditions, have undergone breast surgery, take certain medications, or experience other challenges that make it difficult to produce enough milk. Donor human milk can help these parents breathe easy, knowing that their babies are getting the best nutrition possible, despite their circumstances.
Donor human milk plays a crucial role in providing infants with the nutrition, protection, and support they need for healthy growth and development, particularly in situations where breastfeeding may not be possible or sufficient.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s make a difference today! If you have excess milk and want to become a donor, start the process by calling 303.869.1888 or filling out our donor interest form. Already a donor? Request supplies here.
1 Abrams, S. A., Landers, S., Noble, L. M., & Poindexter, B. B. (2017, January 1). Donor human milk for the high-risk infant: Preparation, safety, and usage options in the United States. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/139/1/e20163440/52000/Donor-Human-Milk-for-the-High-Risk-Infant?autologincheck=redirected