After one of our donors here in DC has been screened and blood tested through the Milk Bank, they drop their milk off here at the Breastfeeding Center. Their precious milk is then carefully packed and shipped overnight to Mother’s Milk Bank at Austin where each donor's milk is scanned by infrared spectroscopy (the MilkoScan) to determine the fat, protein, and lactose content. It is then pooled to meet nutritional needs for medically fragile babies, pasteurized, and third-party tested to ensure the absence of harmful bacterial cultures. Then the milk is then frozen, and shipped to hospitals nationwide (including some of our DC hospitals!), and once all the hospital needs are met, surplus milk is made available for outpatient use here at the Breastfeeding Center. Please note the following:

• OUR SUPPLY IS INCONSISTENT AND LIMITED TO 21oz TOTAL, PER BABY. Because medically fragile infants and hospitals must have access to this lifesaving milk first, we cannot ever ensure regular supply for our outpatient clients, but are happy to make it available when we have it. So this milk should never be relied upon for long-term use. If you anticipate needing donor milk in greater quantity than 5 bottles per day, or for more than 21oz total, we suggest contacting the Milk Bank directly about your family’s needs. We also strongly recommend that our recipient families be working with an IBCLC to attempt to establish either their own supply, or another more consistently-available source of human milk.

• PRESCRIPTION IS REQUIRED. All recipients must have a prescription on file with us from their HCP for Donor Breastmilk. Submit your prescription here. Milk ordered without a prescription on file will be canceled and refunded. We also strongly recommend that our recipient families be working with an IBCLC to attempt to establish either their own supply, or another more consistently-available source of human milk.

• SAME DAY PICKUP IS REQUIRED. Milk cannot be purchased and held for pickup at a later date. Any milk ordered but not picked up by end of day will be canceled and refunded. The exception to this policy is milk ordered on Sunday when we are closed. MILK CANNOT BE SHIPPED or COURIERED.

• MAX 5 BOTTLES PER BABY, PER DAY, WITH A MAX TOTAL OF 21oz. When Donor Milk is in stock we ration at 5 bottles per family per day to ensure we can keep milk available to as many families as possible. This means any given order placed or picked up can be no more than 5 bottles M-F, or 10 bottles on Saturday (as we are closed on Sunday). Any order larger than this, or any recipient who has exceeded 21oz total, will be cancelled and refunded.

• UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN MILK BE RETURNED OR REFUNDED FOR ANY REASON AFTER IT HAS LEFT OUR PREMISES. Do not order milk you cannot use right away.

• NO ONE PROFITS FROM THIS MILK. Both the The Center, and the Milk Bank are non-profit, and the cost for Donor Breastmilk on an outpatient basis reflects only the cost of processing and shipping as outlined above.

• THIS MILK IS NOT TYPICALLY COVERED BY INSURANCE. Unfortunately Donor Milk is not currently covered by most insurance companies, but please contact your insurer if you have questions.

• USE YOUR BABY’S NAME UNDER SHIPPING. If you do intend to submit this to insurance or to your FSA or HSA, for reimbursement please use your name for billing and your baby’s name for shipping so that your receipt contains the necessary information to submit.

• IS THIS MILK SAFE? HMBANA Donor Breastmilk is used across the nation in hospital NICUs and is considered the highest standard of care for premature and medically fragile infants who cannot receive their own parent’s milk, meaning it is not only safe for premature and medically fragile babies, it is an essential element of their care and their wellbeing. So, yes! We believe it to be not only safe for our outpatient families, but the best alternative to a parent’s own milk.

  If you have questions about HMBANA procedures, or about our specific Milk Bank—The Mother’s Milk Bank of Austin—please review their websites or call them directly for the most up to date information.