Becoming a Milk Donor

Thank your for your interest in sharing the gift of your milk with others.
We accept donations of milk from all over New England and the Eastern
seaboard, screening, pasteurizing and dispensing it to premature
and sick babies whose mothers cannot provide fully for all or part
of their babies’ hospitalization.

If you are interested in donating milk, please read the guidelines
and qualifications below. If you are a suitable donor, or if you have
questions, please call 617-527-6263 or email us and please include your phone number, and the best time to call.
We will call you to begin the donor screening process.


Donor screening is a multiple step process:

1. A phone health screen takes 10-15 minutes, it is modeled after
blood donor screening.

2. We will email or mail you a donor packet with information for
you about the becoming a donor and forms for you to fill out and send
back to us. These can be sent by mail, email or fax.

3. We will fax your physician and your baby’s physician to assure
that they do not have any concerns about your donating your milk.

4. When we have heard back from both physicians we will send you
a blood kit, to have your blood drawn. We test for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis
B and C and syphilis, all diseases that can pass through human milk.
While these are all killed by by our pasteurizing, we cannot accept donor
mothers who have these diseases.

5. Once we have received the blood test results, we will call you
to arrange delivery of your milk.

We look forward to hearing from you.


Donor mothers are women who are currently lactating and have surplus milk.

Donor mothers must be:

  • In good general health.
  • A non-smoker.
  • Willing to undergo a blood test (at our expense).
  • Not regularly using medication or herbal supplements
    (with some exceptions - please contact us).
  • Willing to donate at least 150 ounces of milk.
  • Has a baby less than one year old.

A woman would not be a suitable donor if:

  • She has a positive blood test result for HIV, HTLV, hepatitis B or C, or syphilis.
  • She or her sexual partner are at risk for HIV.
  • She uses illegal drugs.
  • She smokes or uses tobacco products.
  • She has received an organ or tissue transplant or a blood transfusion in the last four months.
  • She regularly has more than two ounces or more of alcohol per day.
  • She has been in the United Kingdom for more than three months between 1980 and 1996 or in Europe for more than five years since 1980.

Collecting and storing your milk for donation

    We cannot receive your milk until the donor screening is complete. However, if you are considering donating your milk, or if you are collecting milk for donation during the screening process, please use the following guidelines for pumping and storing your milk:

  • If you or anyone in your household is not feeling well, please put an X on those milk containers and separate them from milk you will donate. The milk is fine to feed your own baby, but should not be used to feed the fragile premature babies the milk bank serves.
  • Before touching your pump or pump parts please wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. Actively lather your hands for a full 15 seconds, paying close attention to the area around and under your fingernails. Antimicrobial soap is not necessary. If using bar soap, please use a rack that allows the bar to dry between uses. Dry your hands with a disposable single-use towel. Use the towel to turn off the tap. There is no need to wash your breasts. Rewash your hands if you touch anything other than your pump or your breasts.
  • Express or pump your milk into a clean container, using clean pump parts. If you are interrupted, cap the milk and put it in the refrigerator. You may go back and finish pumping provided you will finish within 30 minutes of having started.
  • Please be sure NOT to touch the inside of the caps, bottles or bags or the threadings of any bottles you may be using for storage.
  • Please do NOT fill the containers past the markings. Milk expands on freezing and too-full bottles and bags will split. If the bags split and leak upon thawing, we cannot use it for pasteurization. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on milk storage container.
  • Please do not use ordinary zipper bags for milk storage.
  • Label the milk with: YOUR NAME and DATE of collection. When you are assigned a donor number, please add that to the bags.
  • Use a new storage container each time you express your milk even if you have one that isn't full. If you need additional milk storage bags, please email or call us and we will be happy to send you some bags.
  • Place the milk in the rear bottom of your freezer where it is the coldest. Please freeze the milk immediately after expressing it.

    • For more specific information about becoming a donor mom, please call us at 617-527-6263 or email us.

    We will protect your privacy as a donor or a potential donor. You may read our Privacy Notice.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Mothers' Milk Bank of New England
    PO Box 60-0091 Newtonville, MA 02460
    Office phone: 617-527-6263
    Fax: 617-527-1005