Due to the recent panic caused by shortages in the formula supply chain, stemming from a dependency caused by doctors leading many mothers to adopt powdered formulas, a lot of moms are looking for a good solution to fill the gap.
The best way to make sure we don’t end up in this situation again is to boost the breastmilk banks so that they overflow, expand to widespread use, and ultimately replace powdered formulas.
This article is meant to be an easy to share resource to further the possibility that we might set our priorities in this direction now and in the future.
Skip to Community Milk Sharing Networks
Skip to Milk Banks in the US and Canada
Skip to Milk Banks in Europe
Skip to Buying Breast Milk Online
Current milk bank and online purchase options may not be realistic for all moms, so here are some home made formula options that you can make at home.
WAPF Homemade Baby Formula
This recipe is from Sally Fallon Morell, author of Nourishing Traditions. It contains unpasteurized raw milk, cream, and more.
View it here on the Weston A Price website: Homemade Baby Formula
You can purchase ready made kits for this recipe. The kits don’t come with raw milk or raw cream, as federal law interferes with interstate raw milk sales, but the rest is there.
Find the kit at Radiant Life: Nourishing Traditions Kit for Homemade Formula
WW2L Infant Milkshake
This recipe is from Aajonus Vonderplanitz, author of The Recipe for Living Without Disease. Raw milk is also a component.
Makes two servings
- 2 ounces raw milk
- 2 ounces raw cream
- 1 raw egg
- 1/4 teaspoon unheated honey
Disclaimer: conventional medicine at the present time considers raw milk and raw honey unsafe for babies and infants.
Community Milk Sharing Networks
These are larger networks of state level chapters who organize breast milk sharing/ donations, no sales.
Eats on Feets
Eats on Feets is a community breast milk sharing organization with chapters in every state, US and Canada.
Community-based breastmilk sharing works because parents, caretakers, professionals, and people just like YOU are joining together to help ensure that babies have access to commerce-free and safe donor breastmilk. Babies need breastmilk to maintain optimum health. Families and professionals know this! Every day, donors from around the world selflessly offer thousands of ounces of breastmilk through eats on feets directly to the families of babies in need, making a huge difference in their lives.
eats on feets is proud to be a leading resource for community-based breastmilk sharing. We are proud of our research and our safety information that has influenced milksharing policy.
You can learn more, join the community, and find breast milk on their website: eatsonfeets.org
Human Milk 4 Human Babies
Human Milk 4 Human Babies is a worldwide community for connecting moms who donate milk with moms who need it.
The mission of Human Milk 4 Human Babies Global Network is to promote the nourishment of babies and children around the world with human milk. We are dedicated to fostering community between local families who have chosen to share breastmilk.
To interact with the community on Facebook, visit their page: facebook.com/hm4hb
The link to their worldwide map of local chapters can be found in the About section on the HM4HB Facebook page.
Honorable mention: La Leche League
La Leche League provides coaching by parents, for parents. LLL group leaders are parents with training and experience who offer courses, group meetings, and private meetings to help improve your breastfeeding experience.
If you need support, there’s a good chance they’re nearby. View their locations and schedule or join a meeting through their website: lllusa.org
USA and Canada Breast Milk Banks
Now, where can moms get real breast milk to feed their baby?
The Human Milk Banking Association of North America
The HMBANA accepts breast milk donations and provides them to mothers who need it. The milk they provide is not raw, it is pasteurized.
From the HMBANA:
HMBANA believes in a world where all infants have access to human milk through support of breastfeeding and use of pasteurized donor human milk.
Founded in 1985, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) mobilizes the healing power of donor milk by accrediting nonprofit milk banks in the US and Canada, and setting international guidelines for pasteurized donor human milk.
There are 31 breast milk banks in the HMBANA spanning the United States and Canada. View the full map of milk bank locations on their website.
The Human Milk Banking Association of North America is a non-profit organization.
European Breast Milk Banks
In Europe, there is a well established network of milk banks.
The European Milk Bank Association
Th European Milk Bank Association is organized in Italy, while all locations in their network are independent. Each one operates according to local laws. Some are pasteurized, some are raw.
From the EMBA website:
Is donor milk always pasteurised or heat-treated?
Most of the national guidelines worldwide recommend the pasteurisation of donor human milk with the Holder method at 62.5°C for 30 minutes. But there are a few exceptions: in Norway and in some donor milk bank in Germany unpasteurised milk is used. Donors are tested every third month for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C and cytomegalovirus. Every bottle of milk is tested for bacteria. If the donor milk is used unpasteurised only very low levels of skin commensals are allowed in the milk. The raw milk contains the full amount of its bioactive compounds e.g. bile-salt-stimulated lipase, lysozyme, lactoferrin and even its probiotic activity.
Here’s their map:
The European Milk Bank Association has nearly 300 milk bank locations in 30 countries across Europe. View their map of milk bank locations on their website.
Buying breast milk online
There are various forums and social media groups for facilitating the trade or selling of breast milk between moms who overproduce and moms who underproduce.
Only The Breast – A Community for Moms
The website was built to connect moms and help babies.
From Only The Breast:
Built by a Mom for Moms and their Babies
…
Visit our classifieds to find lactating moms that meet your criteria to purchase breast milk from. Or if you’re a lactating mom, list your ad by going to the home page and select Place Ad to list what you have for sale for other moms to contact you. Your email is never given out until you email the prospective buyer back, so you don’t have to worry about your email address getting majorly spammed.
You can become a member to provide or seek breast milk on their website: onlythebreast.com
Breastfeeding Moms Unite
Breastfeeding Moms Unite provides a platform for moms to donate, buy and sell breast milk online.
From Breastfeeding Moms Unite:
Originally, the only way to buy breast milk for babies was through the breast milk bank or by answering random ads on blog posts or forum sites. With the help of my friend, I decided to create this website. Our wish was to build a community for mothers to buy milk for their babies or for mothers to make extra money while staying home with their babies.
At BreastFeedingMomsUnite.com, you can browse classifieds to find mothers who are willing to sell or donate their breast milk. You can also place an advertisement to sell your breast milk as well.
You can post your donation, sale, or search for breast milk for your baby on their website: breastfeedingmomsunite.com
