Extra Breastmilk

Well, you could donate it or you could sell it - there's a market for it.
People around the world drink milk from cows, goats, sheep, camels, donkeys.
Cheese has been made from milk from buffalo, camel, horse, llama, zebra, yak, reindeer, and donkey.
No other species drinks another species milk except humans.
For everyone who says 'gross' about another humans milk- yeah, like drinking another species milk isn't gross?

There are some milk banks that will pick up. Also look on facebook there is a group called Human Milk for Human Babies that sets up chat board so that people can doate milk to parents that need it. I have been looking into it, but I haven't found anyone in my area that needs it yet. I have thought about being a donor, but as bad as it sounds I don't know that I will be able to keep up with it :) I only have a hand pump. :)

I don't know that I would trust craigslist for milk, but thats just me.

If you want to and can donate it, I think that's great. But I imagine most mothers who would go to the extent of buying or asking for donations would prefer it and you to be screened. I overproduced as well. I simply stored it in the deep freeze (my kids would not take bottles) and used it when we started trying to use sippy cups, around six months of age or so (we were encouraged to try to train with a cup since our children refused a bottle). Between at the spills and tantrums, I don't remember having tons left over ;). I also used it for mixing up rice cereal too.

I donated about 1,000 oz to the Mother's Milk Bank of North Texas (I'm sure you can find them on google). Anyways, after doing some research, they were the only ones who wanted my milk when I was ready to give it (I did 1 shipment at ~6months and the 2nd at ~1year when I was finished bf). Other places only take donations at certain times of the year or whatever. Anyways, MMB sent me a cooler, box, packing labels, and even containers for the milk (had they not already been packed and frozen in bags--I kept the containers to use for craft & food storage). You have to pack with dry ice and they will reimburse that cost, but I didn't worry about it (~$1/pound). It really wasn't a hassle to pack and ship it, and I felt really good about their program (helping preemie babies, or babies with moms who are sick and can't produce enough milk). I would think that if you contact your local LaLeche League, they would be more than happy to help you out!
Good luck, I think it's a wonderful gift to give!

I think that its thoughtful and generous of you. However, it is a bodily fluid, and something that people would be giving to their small babies which is why the donation banks have such a rigorous process with screening the mom and the milk. I thought I was a pretty healthy living person, but after looking at the list, I realized that they would not take my extra milk. If you cant go through that process, I think it would be better to just throw it out.

I would hope that a mom would be leery of taking breastmilk from someone else and even though its good enough for your baby, and you THINK its perfectly fine, what if the other baby got sick from it, somehow? I dont know if its likely, but it would still be a concern.

Maybe look into some alternative uses of breastmilk - everything from using in a bath to treating a bee sting! http://bliss-breastfeeding.blogspot.com/2009/06/things-to...

I have a similar thing going on in my house, except my milk is piling up because my baby refuses the bottle and I just returned to work. I started pumping as soon as she was born in anticipation, and I've always overproduced as well. Someone gave me the idea to save it and use it in sippy cups when it comes time to introduce it.

Donating to my local milk bank was not a hard or time consuming process at all. I answered a questionnaire, and once I was approved, I stopped in for a quick blood test and dropped off my frozen milk at the same time. It took almost no time at all. They pasteurize the milk and use it for babies in need. I liked the idea that my milk could help other little ones. Plus, I was on a low dairy diet, which put my milk in a special category. I wish I could have donated more, but glad I could donate at all.

Sell it on craigslist? I'm sorry that just sounds so wrong and kinda nasty. I would NEVER buy breastmilk off craigslist, you never know what a person has or does, sorry nothing personal. But then again I don't care what kind of testing was done I wouldn't give my baby someone else's milk anyways. If I were you I would try and go a more legitimate sounding route and try a milk bank or contact a LC.

Here is a link to Human Milk for Human Babies in Utah:

http://www.facebook.com/HM4HButah

It is not weird to donate it at all. ;)

I don't think that it would be a problem to ask, but the milk banks will be your best bet, because they pasturize it. They also mainly give it to preemies who really need it!

I have not read any of the responses and I have no ideas about extra milk... I too had lots and just dumped it. Well I guess I used it to mix up their cereal when we first started foods ect...
BUT the reason for my response is that if you ever plan on getting away you can't expect your baby to take a bottle. Just sayin.
It will be totally foreign to it!
So I am not saying you have to give a bottle, but don't plan a fun date night and hope that the person watching the baby will have a good night :)
That baby will cry until you come back with the goods.

We did one bottle a day for our girls from a few weeks into life. Just so they got used to the feel. I saw no harm since it was breast milk.
Gave me piece of mind that I wasn't tied to my house forever!!!
As it turns out I am glad we did when I got prego with #2 VERY soon and breastfeeding became so painful, I could not go on! I was able to move baby #1 to the bottle with formula (she was 7 months at the time) and all was well. I was bummed bayb #1 didn't get a full year on me, but I know that had she not been used to a bottle the transition might have gone very bad!

Anyhow hope you find your answer and congrats on the large supply!

This sort of question has been asked in various forms before on here and the consensus that seems to be is that women just wouldnt be interested in feeding 'unknown' breastmilk to their baby. With good reason in my opinion. Im not at all trying to say that you are providing unhealthy or unclean breastmilk, its just for someone who doesnt know you or anything about you they should feel a bit concerned about that. If it were me in your position I would try to use personal resources to get you to someone that may need your help. Talk to family and friends, close co-workers and try to tap into people that you may not know but they would have the ability to meet you through someone else and be able to get to know you before making that type of decision
I think its great what you are doing but dont be discouraged if no one takes you up on your offer (you have to look at from the receivers/takers side of it too)
Congrats in the new baby

I've heard you can sell it on craigslist for like $3 an ounce! If I ever have #2, I plan to sell it! I had extra milk I ended up having to trash.

If you lived close to me, I would be interested! I am pregnant and nursing and my milk is drying up. I think people would be very thankful for it!! I just think most people would probably want a background on your heath, etc. But I think it's a great thing that you would be able to bless people in that way! I actually wonder if people would want to pay for it. I'd rather buy someone else's milk than buy junky formula!

Do you know any families adopting an infant? Many adoptive families are interested in the benefits of breastfeeding but it can be hard to induce lactation especially if it's on short notice.

There is a huge breast milk bank in Colorado that accepts donations also.

I am fairly sure that Primary Children's Hospital on the U of Utah campus takes breastmilk donations, and they have an awesome playroom staffed with volunteers who may be willing to watch your kids for you while you do what you need to do to donate. I'd ask them if I were in your position. If you're in the married student housing on Sunnyside, they're just a short drive/bus ride/longish walk from you.

Also, Salt Lake City has an active chapter of the La Leche League, and they may know of a mom who would be glad to have some of your surplus. You can most likely find them online.

Unless you are willing to go through the screening process I doubt a stranger would want to use it on their baby. I struggled to produce enough milk but was never able to find breastmilk I was comfortable using for my babies. I might have considered from someone who I knew very well and totally trusted like a relative or close friend (and I would have asked a lot of personal health questions first). I'd freeze it to use later and maybe ask around at La Leche. If anyone is interested then be upfront about any health or diet related questions the person may have.

You can try to sell it on craigslist... I did with my first. There are also local LCs and Midwives who would know of local women who may greatly appreciate you donating your milk directly to them.

You may want to consider getting your daughter adjusted to the bottle at some point, otherwise you'll never be able to get away. People won't be able to care for her if she has no familiarity with anything other than nursing. And you can use it for baby food, too, but if you're already producing extra you might have a hard time using that up before it expires. I was also an overproducer and contacted my local milk bank. While there was paperwork and I had to take a blood test, it wasn't that difficult or time consuming and they paid for everything. There are so many moms who can't supply for their babies; you would be doing a wonderful thing to donate. Might you reconsider? It probably isn't as bad as you're thinking and it could save a baby's life!