Kristie McNealy, MD

It seems the benefits of breastfeeding to both mother and baby have been declared from the mountain tops lately (if pregnancy magazines, parenting websites, and the medical community are considered mountain tops). Breastfeeding helps a new mom’s uterus shrink back to normal size after birth and may even help shed some extra baby weight. Breast milk is the perfect food for babies, providing immune system boosters, and protecting against SIDS. There is even some research that suggests breast-fed babies are smarter. This short list of benefits doesn’t even begin to cover the special bond between mothers and babies that develops through breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not simply an immunity-building, fat-fighting, and brain-boosting love fest, though. It is difficult. It hurts (sore nipples anyone?). And it is exhausting, physically and emotionally.

I know all this from experience. I breastfed my toddler until he was 15 months old. It was, like nearly all things parenting, one of the most difficult and rewarding things I have done. Once we got over the initial bumps in the breastfeeding road, my son and I became experts at breastfeeding. In addition to breastfeeding my son, I was also pumping milk on a regular basis so that I could increase my milk supply and get into the pumping habit in preparation for my return to work. Amazingly (I am a small-chested woman), I ended up with an abundant milk supply. My freezer was bursting with frozen milk.

As my son got older and was only nursing a few times a day (he was eating primarily table foods and beginning to drink cow’s milk), it became clear that I had more milk in storage than he would ever need. Frozen breast milk stays good in the freezer for only 3-6 months and I didn’t want the milk to be wasted (it is liquid gold). What could I do? Does anyone need my extra milk? I did some research online and found that, sure enough, there are plenty of babies that need donated breast milk. I could donate my frozen milk to a milk bank.

There are milk banks across the United States, Canada, and Mexico that collect, screen, process, and distribute donated human milk. The milk is given to individuals (primarily sick babies, but also sick adults such as chemotherapy patients) who are given prescriptions for breast milk from their doctors. Much to my surprise, there are many other methods to get rid of extra stored breast milk, including informal milk exchanges , and selling it on the internet. There are also companies that use donor breast milk to develop and manufacture ultra nutrient rich supplements given to babies in the NICU.

I ended up donating about 300 ounces (I told you I had a lot!) to the Bronson Mother’s Milk Bank in Kalamazoo, MI because that was the only milk bank in my state. The screening process for becoming an approved volunteer was fairly exhaustive, with detailed medical and lifestyle questionnaires and a blood test. Since the milk bank was not in my city, I had to do a good amount of leg work myself. I had to make a special trip to the lab at my doctor’s office to get blood drawn for the blood test, purchase dry ice for shipping the milk, and drop the package of milk off at FedEx to insure the milk would arrive at the milk bank the next day. Other than the few dollars I spent on dry ice (which I probably could have been reimbursed for) and an hour or so spent at the lab at the FedEx office, donating the milk did not cost me a thing. What I received in return, however, was priceless. I felt so good to know that the breast milk was going to help sick babies and even sick adults.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on breast milk donation. Has your child been the recipient of donor milk? Have you donated milk to a milk bank or participated in an informal breast milk exchange (including buying or selling milk)?

This guest post comes from Michelle, mom of one and milk donor superstar (can you believe she had 300 extra ounces of milk?!?).

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