HOW IT WORKS
4 Easy Steps to Becoming a Donor
SCREENING CALL
A telephone screening to establish that you meet the basic criteria to become a milk donor. This takes about 15 minutes or so to complete. Call us at 212.956.MILK (6455).
LIFESTYLE AND HISTORY REVIEW
Complete a written health and lifestyle application, consent forms, and medical releases we can email you or send you via the USPS
MEDICAL CLEARANCE
Have your and your baby’s provider complete the medical releases. We can fax these releases for you or you can contact them yourself.
FREE BLOOD TEST
Once we have your completed forms and blood test results, we will contact you to arrange how you can get your milk to us.
HEAR FROM OUR DONORS ON WHY THEY CHOOSE TO DONATE THEIR EXTRA BREAST MILK!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Milk donors are screened for health concerns and communicable disease.
Our donors meet the following basic requirements:
-
In good health and able to breastfeed, with a surplus of milk.
-
No use of nicotine products or regular use of milk enhancing herbs, including fenugreek or blessed thistle.
-
Minimal use of medications. Call and we’ll help determine whether a medication is safe for milk donation.
-
Willing to undergo a thorough health history screening and get a free blood test for communicable diseases.
-
Able to donate at least 100 oz. to 150 oz. of milk, unless you are a bereaved mother, in which case we will gladly accept any size donation.
We are able to accept previously frozen milk stored for 3 or 6 months prior to your approval date depending on the type of freezer you are using. Call us and we will discuss this with you.
-
Testing positive for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), HTLV (Human T-lymphocytic Virus), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or Syphilis.
- Personal history of Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin's Disease, and Kaposi Sarcoma
-
You or your sexual partner is at risk for HIV.
-
Use of recreational and illegal drugs.
-
Use of any tobacco products.
-
Use of milk-enhancing herbs such as fenugreek and blessed thistle.
-
Received a blood transfusion or an organ or tissue transplant in the last 6 months.
-
Consumes more than 2 ounces of alcohol per day.
-
Lived in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, or the Falkland Islands for more than 3 months from 1980 to 1996 or lived in France or Ireland for more than 5 years from 1980 to the present day.
The New York Milk Bank is a non-profit milk bank that adheres to the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) guidelines to provide safe pasteurized milk from carefully screened donors to New York’s fragile and sick infants, thus improving their potential to survive and thrive. Non-profit milk banks such as ours try to keep costs down and any operating surplus is placed in a Charitable Fund to help families who need donor milk.
Read our Pumping For Preemies handout to learn how to increase the fat content in your milk so low birth-weight babies grow healthy and strong. Proper hygiene includes washing hands and pump parts before expressing milk, sanitizing pump parts daily, and changing your pump tubing regularly ensures your milk is bacteria-free.
Take a look at the best way to ensure your milk's safe arrival when it gets delivered to us!
MILK DROP OFF LOCATIONS
26 Convenient Drop-off Locations
We greatly appreciate the interest in donating milk as the formula shortage continues. Because of the increased interest, it is taking longer than usual to respond to all the requests. Please be patient and know that we are grateful for your generosity.
Fill out the form below to begin the process of milk donation.