become a milk donor
Your milk is a gift like no other. Here's how to give it.
Your own baby always comes first. The Milk Bank covers every cost except your time, and free lactation support comes with it. Over 1,000 donors a year answer this lifesaving call. Will you join them?
the process
Four steps, and most donors are approved in less than a month.
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Fill out the application
Start with a short interest form and health questionnaire online. We’ll take care of contacting your health care provider. A donor specialist reviews it and reaches out. If you have questions first, you can call or email before filling out anything.
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Have a quick phone call
A friendly conversation with the donor relations team to confirm eligibility and talk through anything on your mind. Ask us anything here. Nothing is too small.
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Get a simple blood draw
The Milk Bank sends the order to a lab near you and covers the cost. It is the same kind of screening used by blood banks, and it is the step that keeps the tiniest babies safe.
We cover the cost -
Start saving lives
You'll receive your Donor ID, then drop your milk at a Milk Depot near you or use the free shipping supplies we send. That's it. Your milk is on its way to a baby who needs it.
how long it takes
about 20 days, and often half that
On average the process takes about 20 days. Many donors fast-track it and are approved in half the time by scheduling their blood test early and asking their doctor to watch for a fax from The Milk Bank.
our promise to you
Your baby's needs come first. Always.
Donating depends entirely on your own supply. If your supply drops, you stop. If your baby's needs change, your baby comes first, every time. There are no minimums, no obligation to continue, and free lactation support is here for you the whole way through.
questions donors ask
The questions donors ask most.
What if I don't have enough for my baby?
You only ever donate what is left after your own baby is fed. Your supply comes first, and if it changes, you simply stop. And if you would like help protecting your supply, our free lactation support is here for you.
Do I have to pay for the blood test?
No. The Milk Bank provides the blood draw order and covers the cost, along with all shipping. You pay nothing but your time.
Is there a minimum I have to commit to?
No! Whether you give fifty ounces once or a little at a time across your whole journey, every ounce counts. A donation of just 150 oz helps cover our screening and safety costs and the average milk donor gives over 600 ounces!
What if I need to stop?
You can stop at any time, for any reason, with no obligation to continue and nothing to explain. Free lactation support is available the whole way through.
Can I donate milk I've already pumped?
Usually yes. Properly frozen milk with the pump date recorded can typically be donated, and your donor specialist reviews the details with you.
Where do I drop it off?
There are Milk Depots across the community, so there may be one near your home or work. If not, don't worry, we'll send you shipping supplies at no cost.
My milk is a gift. Why does the milk cost anything?
The cost of milk helps offset all the required safety measures that turn a gift of milk into medicine for the most fragile babies, including donor screening and blood testing, nutritional analysis, pasteurization, microbiological testing, cold storage and shipping. Hospitals pay this processing fee directly, and outpatient families with financial barriers have access to a Medical Relief Fund so that cost never keeps a baby from the milk they need. Philanthropic donations support the Medical Relief Fund as well as our bereavement supports and workplace lactation efforts.
What happens to my milk after I donate it?
Your lovingly pumped milk becomes lifesaving nutrition. After intake it is weighed, recorded under your Donor ID and kept frozen. In the lab it is thawed, nutritionally analyzed and pooled with milk from up to four other donors, then portioned into bottles, sealed, bar-coded and pasteurized to kill any harmful bacteria. One bottle from every batch goes to an independent lab for a final microbiological test. Once it passes, it is on its way to tiny tummies in hospitals and at home.
ready when you are
The milk in your freezer could be the reason a baby goes home.
Start your screening now, or talk to the donor relations team first. Every ounce counts, and we would love to answer your questions. Email milkdonor@themilkbank.org, book a call, or phone 317.536.1670. Not ready yet, or still expecting? Our free Infant Feeding Planner is a good place to start.