Selling Breast Milk?

I have heard of people doing this and even saw a show on TV about it. As a mother who breast fed three kids and couldn't pump more than an ounce at a time to put in the freezer, I would have loved that option.

Ewww.... but that's just me. I don't think I could give my baby another womans breast milk. Maybe if it came from a family member and my baby had an absolute need for it. But, I don't know. With all of the medical advances I think there is probably something else they could do in the NICU other than a strangers breast milk. It is bodily fluid after all. Kinda like a woman in the park giving your child a "spit bath" to get mud off of the kids face. You wouldn't want this either. It's just weird to me.

I thought about the prospect of selling milk, too, and the repeated advice I got from the medical community was not to do it because, in this day and age, your breast milk is considered "bodily fluid" and may contain stuff you don't want to be passing along-could end up being a HUGE liability. That stopped me in my tracks!

I believe you can donate your extra breastmilk for babies in the NICU. That seems like a wonderful option for a copious supply.

Hi M.,

I don't know if you can SELL your milk. But Le Leche League is a good resource for you. I don't think it's creepy at all. If you are going to donate it, what makes it creepy to sell? It's a wonderful thing to provide another baby with nutrition that its mother can't (or sadly won't). Another suggestion I have is that you do keep some. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months under 20° F. Cut & paste the link below for more information on freezing breast milk.
http://babies.sutterhealth.org/breastfeeding/bf_expressin...

selling it = kinda creepy
giving it to a breast milk donation center = very helpful & safe for everyone involved. I don't know of one in GA but there is one in Charlotte maybe & you can google it to see the shipping requirements and email them to see if they are in short supply. It's for kids in ICU and emergency situations like that - giving the kids an extra boost of immunity & strength.
hope this helps

I want to second (or third ot fourth) previous comments:

Find a reputable resource like LLL or a larger NICU that will screen breast milk and make sure it gets to babies and families who really need the extra boost from breast milk, but are unable to produce enough/any.

When my son was in NICU, there were babies who were fostered out who could have used your milk. There were families with multiples who could not produce enough milk to sustain their babies. And Mothers like me who just couldn't produce enough to feed her single micro-preemie.

Your "extra" milk would be welcome to these families!

OR: You could freeze your extra for your daughter's future use when your milk dries up.

But, there are resources that are reputable to help you, if you want to donate your milk to those who need it.

Contact me and I will direct you to a wonderful lady who ran my NICU's support group. She is a wealth of info!

I know you can donate it for preemies and moms who truly can't breastfeed. I'm not sure of the website though. I know you have to go through a health screening in order to be "accepted" as a donor.
As for selling, I personally don't see anything wrong with it. I wonder about the legality of it though....
I totally understand you not wanting to waste that "liquid gold"!
Another option would be to freeze some for the future (I think it can last 1 year if frozen) or put it in smoothies for your older children to add some nutrition for them as well.

In Austin there was a breast milk bank. So it's not silly. I do not know if there is one her though. You might want to talk to your hospital or doctor to see if there is a bank here.

There are several avenues for donating breastmilk. One organization I learned about was www.nationalmilkbank.org

Try googling breastmilk donation.

Also, when daughter began eating solids. I used a good bit of the frozen breastmilk to mix in with her foods and cereals instead of using water.

Hi M.,

Check with the local LeLeche League. They can help. I know there are many Moms that would appreciate having you as a resource. I know I would have!

M.

I just found this site that may give you information on donating your milk. http://milkshare.birthingforlife.com/

YOU GO MOMA!!!!! I am so proud of you for thinking of other people who could use such a wonderful gift!!!! What a great asset you are!! There are so many people out there who just disregard the benefits of breastmilk and don't see the multitudes of advantages. It is SO worth it to help out those who really want to give their babies the best, but for some reason can't do it on their own. You have a wonderful heart so I say sell it, donate it, whatever, but if you don't want it or think you'll need it, then bless someone who does!!! (I really like the idea of using it in smoothies for older children too - the benefits are the same to children of all ages!) Be Encouraged!!!

Well, I remember that a women needed breast milk for her baby and she couldn't produce it and had to have it from other mothers there was some article in a magazine oh back about 4 years ago...I was amaized I remember the baby was ill and the family couldn't find any formula that the baby could drink...it was a great article...my personal opinion I think if you can do it, do it I don't know if you have to get any special test done to show that's it's safe and drug free but it may really make a difference in someones life. Sell it or give it either way. If I could of done it I would have. I even heard of some insurance companies paying for breast milk, I'd check it out on line and very much consider it if I were you..it's to me a shame to have it go down the drain there's nothing like it in the world man really can't make it like nature maybe close but if it's not it it's not it. Best of luck on what you decide.

M.
There is a hospital in Wake Forest NC that will accept breast milk - there is no sale however, it is non-profit.
After an extensive telephone question session (if you pass) they will require you to have your blood drawn, and get a note from your OB and your Pediatrician.
The hospital provides the FEDEX cooler to ship.
I tried but did not pass b/c I had traveled to some places over seas that they did not consider safe.
What a wonderful donation you can make!
Good luck
The lactation consultants at your hospital where you delivered should be able to give you the full info on the hospital (it slips my mind right now...must be the breast feeding).
Cheers
L.

Im kinda on the line with this one. Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable giving my baby another womens breast milk,especially considering that the breast milk would contain anything the mother put into her body and I could see alot of druggie or alcoholic moms doing this if they knew their was a profit from it. But I also understand if somone's child couldn't hold down anything else and the mother was out of options.Either way I don't think you should sell your breast milk period, and especially not on ebay.I don't know any mothers that would consider searching on ebay for breastmilk or even risk having it shipped just to feed their baby.Not to mention as the PP said there are some pretty sick people out there and some would consider this an arousal or even funny to purchase this and play pranks with it. I know it sounds far fetched but you have to remember how many crazies there are out there. I think you should call your doctors office and ask them to refer you to a place you could offer your milk so that it went to babies in need. Maybe it could be used in situations for babies in the nicu like mine was who refused to eat...and need that nutrition.I praise you for wanting to help out others but in my personal opinion selling it just doesn't seem like the right thing to do...especially on an open place where anyone at all could purchase it.

Hi M.,

I too have many extra ounces of breast milk in the freezer. I personally would feel funny about selling it, mainly because I wouldn't want to feed my baby someone elses milk. You never know what that person drinks, eats and how they take care of themselves. I am not saying you don't, but not knowing someone and giving your baby their breastmilk seems very odd to me. Maybe I am being closed minded about it.

Just my thoughts

C.