Breast milk Donation :: Join In!

After talking to my girlfriend the other day I realized that I needed to write a post about breast milk donations. So many of us breast-feeding mothers are pumping our brains out because we are either getting ready for or ARE currently back to work! Many of us have so much milk that we don't know what to do with.

Well, for those of you who feel strange throwing your "gold", as I call it, down the drain you can donate it and help a family looking to give their child breast milk. Or better yet, help a sick child in Haiti or a baby in the NICU. 

I think by now most of know the benefits of breast milk especially during times of illness and disease. It's a powerful thing we are giving our children, so why not share our extras with others?

And if you bottle fed your last baby due to similar breast feeding problems, you can learn how to receive breast milk for your child {that is if you don't feel it's strange to be using another mother's milk}!

side note: Did you know that you could give your older child {or your husband or yourself} some of your breast milk {if currently breast feeding a baby} when they are sick? Might seem odd, but if you pump it and put it in a bottle or a cup, he/she will reap the antibody benefits!

ONLINE RESOURCES:

OK - AFTER THE COMMENT FROM AMANDA (BELOW) I DECIDED TO ADD THE NON-PROFIT MILK SHARE WEB SITE WITH EVERYBODY FIRST AND FOREMOST:

HMBANA - the network of NONPROFIT milk banks

Milk Share - read this to learn more about donations and to share/hear stories. Direct mother-to-mother site.

---------- Below are sites that are more controversial - because they may make a profit -----------

Milk In Mamas - help NICU babies - save a premature baby's life one donation at a time. 

National Milk Bank - an actual milk bank. Become a donor today

Breast Milk Donations - useful for matching donors. finding a mom to donate and a mom in need. 

BreastFeeding.com - helpful article about milk banks.

-------------------------------------- Below is info on Haiti and sending breast milk there ------------------

TIME MAGAZING article - says sending milk to Haiti isn't the best way to donate. But soon the infrastructure might become more efficient. 

Breast Milk Project - kids in Haiti need breast milk and they are lacking suppliers. {again, might be the case, but we lack the means of efficiently getting babies the fresh milk}