Thank you for considering becoming a milk donor!
It is a significant commitment but will provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped give a fragile, preterm infant a fighting chance. Please help us assess your eligibility.
How to Donate Breast Milk
Thank you for considering becoming a milk donor!
It is a significant commitment but will provide you with the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped give a fragile, preterm infant a fighting chance. Please help us assess your eligibility.
Step 1
Do you meet the safety criteria?
Step 2
General Health Screening
Step 3
Learn what it takes to donate milk
Step 4
Submit Online Form
Step 1: Do you meet the safety criteria?
Even though your breastmilk is perfect for your own baby, there are some things that may make you permanently or temporarily ineligible to donate for the sick, preterm babies that receive pasteurized donor milk. If you fall into any of these categories, you may not be eligible to donate:
- Taking most medications on a regular basis.
- If you, or your partner are at risk for HIV.
- Testing positive for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), HTLV (Human T-lymphotropic Virus), Hepatitis B or C, or Syphilis.
- If you have used illegal drugs in the past 5 years
- If you, or your partner have had acupuncture, tattoos, or blood transfusions in the past 6 months.
If you fall into any of these criteria, your final eligibility will be determined at your telephone interview. If you are ineligible to donate milk but still want to support our Milk Bank, please consider making a financial gift by clicking here, or help us spread the word to others in your network.
Step 2: General Health Screening
Are you:
- In good general health, and nursing a baby who is less than 18 months of age? Bereaved donors or those who have suffered a late miscarriage or stillbirth who meet eligibility and chose to pump milk in honour of their baby are accepted.
- Willing to complete a medical phone interview with a nurse?
- Willing to have a special blood test done at a LifeLabs location near your home?
- Free from smoking, illegal drug use and regular alcohol use?
- Not taking medications, including some antidepressants and galactagogues (medications or herbs to increase milk supply)? It is generally OK to be taking progestin-only birth control pills, thyroid replacement hormones, insulin, nasal sprays, topical treatments, eye drops, prenatal vitamins and regular dose supplements.
- Able to get your health care provider to complete medical history forms for you and your baby?
- Able to pump at least 5 Litres (about 150 oz.) of milk over a 2 month period of time? (If you are pumping 4oz of extra milk per day, it will take about 5 weeks to collect 150 oz. of milk.)
If you answered YES to all of these questions, you are a strong candidate to becoming a milk donor! Please proceed to Step 3.
Step 3: Learning what it takes to donate milk
We recognize the donating breast milk is a significant and generous commitment. You are doing this at a time in your life when your hands are likely very full. Please take the time to watch this 5 minute video and assess whether this is a commitment that you can make:
Step 4: Fill out and Submit this Form
If you’ve decided you would like to be contacted by phone to complete the donor screening interview to donate breast milk, please fill out and submit this form. You can anticipate a call from one of our lactation consultants within one week. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from us right away…we very much want to have you as a donor, if you are eligible! On behalf of Ontario’s most vulnerable babies and their parents…thank you!