Requesting and Receiving Donor Milk: Introduction

In the spirit of informed choice, Eats on Feets encourages full disclosure from every person who participates in sharing breastmilk.

Donors generally expect recipients to be happy to receive their breastmilk and will appreciate it if recipients value and respect their family time and their milk supply. The amount of milk a donor can supply will fluctuate depending on menstruation, changes in eating and drinking patterns, stress, etcetera. Recipients should not put pressure on donors to provide a set amount of milk, especially in long-term arrangements.

Thanking a donor each time a donation is received is important, even when there is a long-term arrangement. Honest communication regarding mutual needs is essential. Some donors may have a questionnaire and/or also request blood work. It is important to be open and honest with each other. Willingness to help defer the cost of pumping and storing supplies will always be appreciated. The details of milksharing arrangements will differ from family to family and may be facilitated with the aid of a written agreement between the two parties.

Eats on Feets does not provide forms for contracts or official questionnaires.1 It is between the donor and recipient to arrange for this.

For the full informed choice process of donors and recipients and for page transparency, our network requires that offers and requests are made by individuals who are the legally or clinically responsible party.2 Siblings, children, grandparents, friends, doulas, breastfeeding counselors, nurses, etcetera are not legally nor clinically responsible. Legal guardians, donors, recipients, nurse practitioners, midwives, doctors, etc. are.

Section Part 1 Basics covers the following subjects:

1. Possible reasons to refrain from using donor milk
2. Questions typically asked of recipients
3. Screening donors
4. Finding a donor
5. After finding a donor
6. Questions typically asked of donors
7. Handling breastmilk (for recipients)

Next: Is there any reason why someone should not request donor milk?

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  1. The suggested questions we offer are typically asked of donors by milk banks. They are not meant to be used as an official Eats on Feets questionnaire. ↩︎
  2. Someone licensed to provide independent healthcare. ↩︎