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Human Milk Banks

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If you can't breastfeed and still want to give your baby human milk, the best place to go is to a human milk bank that can dispense donor human milk to you if you have a prescription from your doctor. Many steps are taken to ensure the milk is safe. Donor human milk provides the same precious nutrition and disease fighting properties as your own breast milk.

If your baby was born premature or has other health problems, he or she may need donated milk not only for health, but also for survival. Your baby may also need donated milk if she or he:

• can't tolerate formula
• has severe allergies
• isn't thriving on formula

The best way to find a human milk bank is through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). HMBANA is a multidisciplinary group of health care providers that promotes, protects, and supports donor milk banking. HMBANA is the only professional membership association for milk banks in Canada, Mexico and the United States and as such sets the standards and guidelines for donor milk banking for those areas.

To find out if your insurance will cover the cost of the milk, call your insurance company or ask your health care provider. If your insurance company does not cover the cost of the milk, talk with the milk bank to find out how payment can be made later on, or how to get help with the payments. A milk bank will never deny donor milk to a baby in need.

Additional Resources

Publications

1. Becoming a Donor to a Human Milk Bank (Copyright © LLI) — This publication gives a brief history of human milk banking and explains the risks of informal sharing of breast milk. It also explains how to become a donor and how the milk is collected, stored, handled, and shipped.

   http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVAprMay00p19.html

2. History of Breast Milk (Copyright © NMB) — This publication describes the history of donor milk banking with regards to its popularity in the US in recent years. Also, this fact sheet provides information on the substitutes of breast milk that have been used in the past and the safety of donor milk for the infant.

   http://www.quirkyclients.com/~national/content.php?content_id=1007

3. Human Milk Banks in the United States and Canada (Copyright © HMBANA) — This site lists the contact information for the established and developing human milk banks in the U.S. and Canada.

   http://www.hmbana.org/index.php?mode=locations

4. Where Does Donor Milk Banking Fit in Public Health Policy? (Copyright © LLLI) — A human milk bank is where lactating mothers can donate their breast milk and other mothers can have access to that breast milk for their babies if they cannot produce their own breast milk or if for any reason their milk is not suitable (such as HIV infection). This publication covers how milk banks fit into public health policy.

   http://www.lalecheleague.org/ba/Feb02.html

Organizations

1.   Womenshealth.gov, OWH, HHS
2. Human Milk Banking Association of North America
3. Indiana Mothers' Milk Bank
4. La Leche League International
5. Milkin' Mamas
6. Mother's Milk Bank at Christiana Hospital
7. Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa
8. Mothers' Milk Bank and Lactation Center
9. Mothers' Milk Bank at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
10. National Milk Bank
11. The Mothers' Milk Bank at Austin

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated February 27, 2009.