The world of donor milk is riddled with dicey intentions and red hot opinions. I'm continuing to research options for my excess and learn more via the various forums and blogs of nursing moms etc.
Amazing how an honest intention to help others can get mangled beyond recognition along the way.
I do see the logic in donating to the International Breast milk Project (IBMP) and will continue the application process however, I also see the basis of a valid struggle in accepting the idea that companies profit on fortified human milk products taken from donations.
Based on what I've read is that IBMP and its affiliated processing company are reaching mothers who cannot provide their child's nutritional needs and I do understand that there would be costs in screening, transporting, packaging and distributing the gathered milk...
In contrast, I did find this thread on Diaper Swappers eye opening and trust me I'm definitely going hmmm...
Its all such a mishmash of voices and I just want to have resolve the answer to a simple question: I have extra milk, who best meets my intentions for donating it?
So as of today I am now officially separating my frozen supply into 2 categories: Winter's reserve and donation. The donation milk will be stored in bags (I use bottles for our own supply), labeled, dated, frozen flat and stored at the bottom of a deep freezer until I can sort out whose hands it is meant to land in.
Milk bank alternatives that have caught my eye are Milkshare and EatsonFeets so it will be either helping a local mom via either of those resources or IBMP.
At the end of the day its an effort to make use of a valuable resource that would otherwise be dumped. I am not making a point to pump extra to meet the ongoing need of a recipient baby or stockpiling unnecessary exccess for the freezer.
If only it was not so complicated to get rid of!
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