How to Donate Human Milk: Steps, Screening, and Contact Options

Breast Milk Foundation (breastmilkfoundation.org) is a donor human milk resource that answers three core questions on its homepage: why donate human milk, how to donate human milk, and how to receive human milk. If you are a lactating parent considering donation, the site's structure points you to a "How to Donate Human Milk?" pathway plus a Frequently Asked Questions section. The exact eligibility rules, screening tests, and shipping or drop-off logistics are not spelled out in the homepage text available here, so treat the steps below as the general donation workflow and confirm specifics directly with the foundation through its contact or FAQ channels.

Who typically qualifies to donate

Donor milk banks generally screen for three things: your health history, your milk supply beyond your own baby's needs, and your willingness to complete a health questionnaire and blood test. The Breast Milk Foundation homepage frames donation around the benefits of breastfeeding and colostrum, which suggests it works with lactating parents who are already producing milk. Because the site does not list its own eligibility criteria in the text available, use these as the standard conditions to expect:

• You are currently lactating and have surplus milk after feeding your own infant.
• You are willing to answer health and lifestyle questions (medications, illnesses, smoking, alcohol use).
• You are willing to undergo blood screening, which milk banks usually require and often pay for.
• You can follow storage and handling instructions so the milk stays safe.

If any of these is a barrier, ask the foundation whether it offers alternatives or referrals.

Step-by-step donation process

1. Read the donation overview. Start at the "How to Donate Human Milk?" section on the homepage. It is the entry point the site itself highlights.
2. Check the FAQ. The Frequently Asked Questions page is where screening details, storage rules, and common concerns are most likely addressed. Read it before contacting anyone so your questions are specific.
3. Contact the foundation. Use the contact route on the site to express interest. Expect to provide basic information about yourself and your baby.
4. Complete the health screening. This usually means a questionnaire plus a blood test arranged or approved by the milk bank. Do not ship or drop off milk before this step is cleared.
5. Follow collection and storage instructions. You will be told how to pump, label, freeze, and store milk. Storage duration matters — the site's own article list includes "How long expressed breast milk can be kept?", which signals that storage guidance is part of its content.
6. Arrange delivery. Depending on the foundation's setup, this may be a drop-off location or a shipping arrangement. Confirm which applies to you before collecting a large volume.

Expected result: once screening and storage requirements are met, your milk enters the bank's supply and is made available to infants who need it.

What information you will likely need to provide

The homepage does not publish its exact form fields, so treat this table as the standard set and verify against the foundation's own instructions.

Common sticking points

• Donating before screening. Milk collected before you are approved may not be accepted. Wait for clearance.
• Storage errors. Milk kept too long or at the wrong temperature is usually discarded. Follow the foundation's storage guidance exactly.
• Assuming the process is instant. Screening and blood work take time; plan for a gap between first contact and your first accepted donation.
• Unclear logistics. The homepage does not state whether the foundation uses drop-off points, shipping, or both. Ask this question early so you do not accumulate milk you cannot deliver.

How to get started today

Go to breastmilkfoundation.org, open the "How to Donate Human Milk?" section, then read the Frequently Asked Questions. From there, use the site's contact option to ask three things: current eligibility criteria, whether blood screening is arranged and covered, and how milk is delivered to the bank. Those three answers determine whether you can proceed and how soon.