Donor Milk

When my sister informed me that she was having her second child, I immediately made the decision to provide my new nephew with my own breast milk. My sister, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 30 and underwent a double mastectomy, was unable to breastfeed her future babies after successfully breastfeeding her first.

When my daughter was 4 months old, I began expressing my milk for my nephew, ensuring that it was within the 6-month shelf life for storing breast milk. When my nephew was born he was exclusively fed with a combination of my expressed breast milk and breast milk donated by the hospital, providing him with the best start for the first 5 weeks. My sister's third baby, was born before I started my second breastfeeding journey but with the help of Hearts Milk Bank, my nephew was able to receive donor milk for 4 weeks, making her incredibly happy that her last baby was also able to be exclusively breastfed in the early weeks.

Please note that my decision to provide breast milk to my nephew was an act of sisterly love and care. My sister had complete trust in the safety and purity of my milk, as unregulated and untested breast milk can contain harmful substances. Additionally, it is important to be aware that some donor milk sold online has been found to contain added substances such as water to increase volume, making it even more important to ensure that the source of the breast milk is trustworthy.

It is important to note that milk banks, such as Hearts Milk Bank, have strict screening processes in place to ensure the safety of the donated breast milk. The donors are thoroughly screened for diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and any other blood-borne illnesses. The milk is handled in a hygienic manner and undergoes pasteurisation to kill any known pathogens. The donors are also screened for their use of prescribed medications, illegal drugs, and tobacco products, as well as their alcohol consumption. They are also screened for recent blood transfusions, organ or tissue transplants, or other medical procedures. These strict screening and pasteurisation processes are in place to minimise the risk of transmission of any diseases through the donated milk.