Donor Stories
Allison, Milk Donor
I first heard of milk donation during a conversation I had with some women in my life group at church. I was telling them about my oversupply of milk and how much milk I could pump in just one session. We all agreed that this extra milk was a blessing and that there had to be some way to put this milk to good use. One of the things that attracted me to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama was that I did not have to mail my milk to the milk bank, even though I lived in Georgia. Even though it is a detailed process, it is absolutely worth it! Donating my breastmilk makes me feel empowered. It gives me a sense of joy knowing my milk helped other sweet innocent babies in need. I am just a good Samaritan trying to find a way to utilize this gift of milk. To any mother considering donating their milk, I would say, “If you qualify to do it, then absolutely do it, because it is the most rewarding experience”!
Imari, Milk Donor
I first came across milk donation when a lactation consultant from my pediatrician's office posted a flyer from the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama on Facebook. I was not sure, at the time, if milk donation was something I wanted to do. About two months into breastfeeding, I came across that flyer again, so I decided to read up on donation. Once I felt comfortable, I started the donation process through the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama website. I had an overproduction of breastmilk which left me with more milk than my baby needed. My child is now 7 months old and I’m still donating my milk. Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama sends me boxes to ship my milk in and I FedEx them back to the milk bank. I have always felt like it is better to give than to receive. A lot of times, I feel like people do not realize how valuable breastmilk is. The fact that I can donate something that not everyone can give makes me feel blessed. I am blessed to be able to provide milk for my daughter and someone else’s child at the same time. It is hard work and a lot of sacrifice, but it is worth it. For any mom considering donating their milk, I would say “Just do it!”. Knowing I am helping other people gives me the push I need to continue donating.
Hannah, Milk Donor
My donating journey began after having my second child. I had an overproduction of breastmilk and started storing it in my freezer. After about a year and a half, I ran out of room in my freezer. At this point, I had about 45 gallons of milk stored. I was looking for a way to use this milk for good and God led me in the direction of donating my milk. I reached out to the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama, and there was no doubt that I wanted to bless others with my milk. It was very rewarding knowing that all this milk was not going to be wasted. I have had three other children since then and have been blessed to donate my breastmilk with each one of them. My children exclusively breastfed, so all the milk I pumped was donated. Currently, I have donated 24,000 ounces or 188 gallons of breastmilk and counting. Some mothers experience trouble producing milk and others, like me, are blessed with a bounty of milk. Both experiences are challenging in their own way. Having an oversupply of milk is not as easy as it may seem. It takes countless hours and patience to pump, but every hour was totally worth it. Breastmilk donation is one of my biggest blessings. I don’t have to see the mothers and babies to know what good it can do for them. I can watch my babies grow from drinking my breastmilk, so I know it can do the same for others. There are really no words to describe it. It is very rewarding. For any mother considering donating her milk, I would say “Do it. It is a blessing to you and a blessing to the people that receive it.” In the end, I think of my overproduction of breastmilk as a positive situation rather than an inconvenience. It is one of my greatest blessings. It has been hard but look at what it can do for others.
Christina, Milk Donor
I am a registered dietitian, and I was introduced to milk donation during my internship as I worked alongside a lactation consultant. Through my education as a dietitian, I learned about how wonderful breastfeeding is from a health standpoint. I fully planned to breastfeed my first daughter. Unfortunately, my daughter kept losing weight, and we started supplementing with formula around a week old. I then developed mastitis and was put on antibiotics to treat the infection. I experienced a bad reaction to the antibiotic and ended up in the hospital. After multiple episodes of mastitis and hospitalizations, I considered switching to exclusive formula feeding. I researched the benefits of breastmilk and what babies need it the most. Once I realized breastmilk is most important for premature infants, I was ready to make the switch. I now have a second daughter, and breastfeeding has been much easier and successful this time around. At one point, I realized I had a lot of milk stored, so I began looking for a donation site. I searched on Google for a milk bank, and Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama was the closest to me. I am thankful to be able to donate breastmilk, knowing it often goes to preemies in the NICU who need it. I am thankful to be able to feed my daughter and other babies who need it at the same time. Breastmilk donation is so worth it! Especially if the milk is going to be wasted otherwise. It is a unique position to be in to help others in a tough position. If it were not for my breastfeeding issues the first time around, I would not have learned how important breastmilk is for premature infants.
AOYJAI, Milk Donor
I first heard about breastmilk donation during a conversation with one of my friends. I was telling her I had so much breastmilk stored that my freezer was filling up fast, and I did not know what else to do other than buy a new freezer. She then suggested that I donate my milk. I was not aware, at the time, that an organization like that was available. I searched on Google and came across Mothers’ Milk Bank of Alabama. I also found places where I could sell my milk, but I decided against that option. I did not want to do it for the money. I wanted to donate to help a sick baby. When I was a nurse in Thailand, I saw many sick babies while working on a pediatric unit. I hope my milk will help many premature and sick babies. I feel so grateful that I can help not only the babies but also the parents. I am sure it is stressful for the moms who want to offer their babies breastmilk but are not able to. Hopefully, my milk can help relieve their stress a little bit. I would tell a mom who is thinking of donating her milk, “Please do it if you have extra. You are not only helping the babies but also their friends and family”.
