https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 12:53:51 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1501602 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:26:22 +0000 LovelyPlum 1501602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@owlmom: thanks! I know that I can BF my own little one on it, but I wasn't sure if it was the kind of thing that would make another mom uncomfortable. I'll have to talk to her about it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1501596 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:25:03 +0000 owlmom 1501596@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: it depends on the medication. If you're able to take it and still breastfeed your own child, then it would be fine if the mom you're giving the milk to is okay with it. Check out Kelly Mom for more info about bf-safe meds (<a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/aap-approved-meds/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/aap-approved-meds/</a>), and make sure to discuss your specific medication with your doctor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1500148 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:42:10 +0000 LovelyPlum 1500148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Question: if you're on medications, does it automatically mean that you can't donate? Obviously, I don't know what my supply will be like, but there is a local mom here in need of some donations, and I'd like to help her if I can. But, I'm on meds, and I just don't know how that would go over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1500147 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:41:53 +0000 lawbee11 1500147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't yet, but I plan to. I have hundreds of oz in our deep freezer and I don't want them to go to waste! Would love to give them to a family in need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1500137 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:37:31 +0000 Mrs. Bee 1500137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i donated to a gay couple through my local parenting listserv. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1500110 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 07:24:47 +0000 purrpletulips 1500110@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated about 24oz to my neighbor who was struggling with supply issues and her DD was having problems with formula. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1500066 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 06:38:42 +0000 bushelandapeck 1500066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have some to my sister for her twins but in hindsight I should've donated a lot more of it. I had to throw about 100oz out at one point. A coworker just donated to a milk bank and the process was pretty simple and convenient for her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499980 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 01:31:16 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1499980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the process of trying to donate to a milk bank (I have thousands and thousands of ounces from 5 months of pumping that DS2 can never have) but it's so involved! I still need to go get bloodwork done and scan in my application. I'm using the Human Milk Bank of Austin, although I'm in MD. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499976 Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:53:09 +0000 owlmom 1499976@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated to the milk bank at my city's children's hospital. I have a friend who had a micro preemie that relied on this milk bank to feed her baby, so I felt called to donate there. Donating to a milk bank is a far more involved process than an informal arrangement. I had to have doctors notes from DD's pediatrician and my OB, fill out quite a bit of paperwork, conduct a phone interview with the milk bank, provide DNA and blood samples, and verify that my freezer was a particular temperature. There are strict requirements as to what medications (including vitamins) you are allowed to take while being a donor and requirements around the manner in which you collect and store your milk.</p> <p>The benefits of donating through a milk bank are that you don't have any liability should a baby consuming your milk become sick (even if your milk has nothing to do with it). Your milk is blended with lots of other donor milk and pasteurized. Not that someone would sue you should something happen to her child in an informal arrangement, but the possibility is always there. Additionally, you don't have to make the decision of who will receive your milk - it's provided to those deemed by medical professionals to have the greatest medical needed. The flip side of that is that, depending on the bank, those receiving the milk are paying for it (or their insurance is). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499850 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 21:35:33 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1499850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaBehr: I donated to human milk 4 human babies on FB and got a ton of responses! It's amazing how grateful these moms are - it felt really really good to help them out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499825 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 21:01:12 +0000 Boheme 1499825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Someone donated to me when DS was teeny tiny, and I paid it forward and have donated as well :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499762 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:20:38 +0000 Mrs. Taco 1499762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated to a co-worker who wasn't making enough while pumping to feed her LO at daycare...it was great to help her keep her EBF goal! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499758 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:19:03 +0000 Mrs Spoon 1499758@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated to two mamas through my midwife. It was great to be able to help someone that desperately wanted to EBF their LO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499754 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 20:14:15 +0000 Ginger333 1499754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've only ever given milk to friends ... and I received milk from friends too when I had surgery and needed it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499709 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:51:19 +0000 lemondrop 1499709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No but I wish I had! I'm definitely looking into it this time around if all goes well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499683 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:41:16 +0000 Dandelion 1499683@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated a lot of milk (don't remember exactly how much) through milkshare. I posted I had it (it was leftover from when ds was in the nicu) and she reached out and fedexed me a styrofoam cooler and info to fill it up and overnight it back to her. It took two trips with the cooler to get it all to her but it worked. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499662 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:31:08 +0000 JessKas 1499662@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also used human milk for human babies via facebook. It's been super easy and some of the moms even replaced bags. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499466 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 18:02:56 +0000 birdofafeather 1499466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i donated about 20 oz to a mom i know personally! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499192 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:57:59 +0000 LuLu Mom 1499192@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes I have, my little one wasn't able to handle my milk so I donated my freezer stash through our local breastfeeding center. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499188 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:57:12 +0000 MamaBehr 1499188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@junebugmama: That's awesome! Thank you! I can't believe the need out there. I would feel better donating to a person than a bank, for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499164 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:50:34 +0000 junebugmama 1499164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Human milk for human babies, or your local eats on feets, would have posts on their fb pages of Moms in need. It's a much easier process, where it just takes "trust" for Mom to Mom direct donation. Some people however, don't feel comfortable meeting up with a stranger, and then you could donate to a local bank. Do not donate to a national bank, often your milk doesn't get to an actually Mama in need. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499137 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:41:20 +0000 HabesBabe 1499137@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I donated to a friend directly who had to have surgery after her pelvis broke during her son's delivery. I had 1,000+ oz. in my stash at that point and knew we wouldn't use it all-- I think I gave them about 600-700 oz? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499108 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:32:38 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1499108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There are a number of ways you can do it. Donating to a milk bank or something formal requires doctors notes and has a lot of guidelines to follow and I didn't want to go thru all that. So I found my local human milk for human babies group on Facebook and did it on there. It was really easy and there is a lot of demand for it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-donate-milk#post-1499048 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 15:15:27 +0000 MamaBehr 1499048@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was so worried about my supply that I started pumping in the hospital, but I haven't used any of it! So, 10 weeks later I have well over 100 ounces saved up and I don't even know if DS#2 will take a bottle. I was thinking of donating it. Has anyone else donated milk? Was it easy? </p>