What is community milk sharing?

There are two very common dilemmas with breastfeeding parents: extra milk and low milk supply.

One timeless solution for both of these issues has been milk sharing. Shared human milk can optimize infant health and nutrition, while profoundly strengthening social bonds and community resilience. But many parents do not know another breastfeeding parent or do not feel comfortable asking for such intimate help. Moreover, parents want basic assurance that milk from another parent is safe. Their healthcare practitioners want this, too.

•Bloom Community Milk Sharing is an informed choice model of human milk sharing that facilitates donor lab testing, safety education and health screening, and accessibility to local infants, with priority given to those under 3 months of age.
•Donors are screened with bloodwork to evaluate for illnesses that could pass through human milk. If donor’s have had pregnancy labs drawn (which does not include HTLV I/II) within a year of pumped milk, those will also be accepted
•Medications are disclosed and evaluated for safety in human milk utilizing The Infant Risk Center database
•This is a place to donate your milk that you know will be used by infants who need it
•This is a place for parents to get breastmilk for their child in a much safer way
•The breastmilk is age matched as much as possible to provide appropriate nutrients for your child

•See what milk is available here

How does it work?

•It starts with filling out the form below. You may have an over-full freezer, over-supply, under-supply, personal illness or be experiencing tragic loss. Maybe you're waiting for your milk to come in and your baby needs supplementation.

•Dr. Hughes will contact you about your request. Read through all documents that apply to you and sign all consents and waivers.

•If you are a donor, Dr. Hughes will provide you with an order for the lab testing and the donor health screening form. Labs are performed at Labcorp or Quest and are processed through insurance. If you are uninsured but would still like to donate, please choose “uninsured” below. We cover lab costs for all donors.

•If you are a recipient, milk is available on a first-come, first-served basis and infants under 3 months are prioritized. Dr. Hughes does try to age match donor milk to the age of the recipient infant. Supply always depends upon availability - please help by spreading the word!

•In order to cover the costs of labs, time, and materials of maintaining the community milk sharing, there is a charge of $0.75 per ounce to be paid by recipients prior to or at the time of pickup.

•Community milk is NOT pasteurized. You can pasteurize donor milk on your stove-top by following these easy flash-heat pasteurization instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions For Donors *Frequently Asked Questions for Recipients is below *

What is the difference between Bloom Community Milk Sharing and a Milk Bank?

Bloom hosts a community based milk-sharing organization facilitated by Dr. Hughes. She seeks to make milk sharing safer through screening guidelines similar to those used by the Human Milk Bank Association of North America (HMBANA) as opposed to blind donation/recipients that are often facilitated through social media. Dr. Hughes reviews donor health histories using a Donor History form and orders blood for lab tests to screen for diseases that can be passed through human milk. Unlike HMBANA milk banks, Dr. Hughes does not thaw, pool, pasteurize, and test donor milk. She does provide instructions for an easy, evidence-based flash-heat pasteurization at home.

Dr. Hughes acknowledges the importance of donor milk from HMBANA milk banks. This pasteurized and tested donor milk is available by physician prescription and is an invaluable source of nutrition for babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Dr. Hughes supports families’ choices regarding milk donation and receipt.

What is the minimum amount of milk that can be donated?

There is no minimum amount of milk required to become a donor. We gratefully accept any amount of breastmilk. A parent who commits to maintaining their health and pumping their milk is donating a precious and priceless gift, as well as a lot of time and work!

Is it required for all donors to get their blood drawn?

As part of the donation screening process, we ask that each donor have blood drawn for HTLV 1&2, HIV 1&2, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and syphilis (RPR). This is an essential part of informed milk sharing. Labs can be obtained through your physician or through Dr. Hughes. Insurance is billed for labs. If labs from pregnancy (HIV, Hep B, RPR) have been drawn within the last year, those can be submitted in place of new labs.

Can I donate milk if I occassionally drink alcohol?

The short answer is yes, usually. Alcohol clears breastmilk at the same rate as it clears the bloodstream. We ask that parents refrain from collecting milk for donation for 12 hours after drinking alcohol. If this does not happen, please mark the milk so we can inform the recipients.

What if I take a medication?

Most medications are compatible with human milk. Please disclose any over-the-counter or prescribed medications, herbs and supplements. Dr. Hughes works on an informed choice model and will inform recipients if milk may contain medications and the "level of risk" each one has. A recipient has the right to “pass” on any milk offered them.

Can I still donate milk if it has been in my freezer X months?

We appreciate receiving frozen donor milk as soon as it becomes convenient. The fresher your milk, the higher its nutritive value. We accept milk that has been safely handled and stored in a refrigerator freezer up to 6 months and in a deep freezer up to 12 months. Please review our Milk Handling Guidelines.

How quickly can I empty my freezer of milk?

Dr. Hughes typically can respond quickly and arrange transfer of milk in a timely manner. Donor milk will be held for distribution until lab screening is completed.

I have recently lost a baby. Is there a way that I can donate milk?

Dr. Hughes recognizes that donating milk after the death of a baby can be a profoundly meaningful focus in bereavement. She is grateful for any amount of milk whenever it becomes available.

Frequently Asked Questions for Recipients**

How much does the milk cost?

Milk is available at $0.75 per ounce.

Why is there a fee for donor milk?

Dr. Hughes provides this service entirely on her own. The fee helps cover lab costs for uninsured donors and copays for those who have one, reviewing labs and medication of donors, providing safety information to recipients about the milk, storage equipment and monitoring, malpractice and liability insurance, and time coordinating delivery and pickup.

Who can receive donor milk?

Donor milk is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to the youngest or sickest children. In general, Dr. Hughes reserves donor milk for babies 6 months and younger. Exceptions have been made to this policy based on family circumstance, health status of the child receiving milk, and Bloom's milk supply. Each request is individually addressed by Dr. Hughes. If a family has long-term needs, Dr. Hughes most likely will not be able to provide 100% of a child’s nutritional needs. Bloom's supply and demand vary greatly.

I can’t breastfeed, but I know that human milk is best. Can Bloom provide my baby with the human milk they need?

Currently, Bloom does not have the resources to provide babies with 100% of their nutritional needs. Our goal is to provide a bridge of time and milk while families troubleshoot breastfeeding challenges or augment resources to meet their needs. Dr. Hughes is available for consultation if needed.

I live outside of the Kansas City area. Can I receive donor milk from Bloom, too?

Donor milk is not restricted to Kansas City. It again is based on a first-come, first-served basis.

How much milk should I give my baby?

Please refer to the chart on our Milk Handling Guidelines for average intake per feed (with expectation of a minimum of 8 feeds per day). Remember, these are just averages, and a baby's whole picture will be the best guide. For those who are breastfeeding, we strongly encourage working with a lactation consultant to help determine appropriate weight gain and work toward resolution of supply issues. Dr. Hughes is available as a consultant if needed.

I’m pregnant, and I'm having twins (OR I have a history of low supply/breast reduction/breast augmentation/etc.). Can I pick up donor milk before birth, just in case my baby needs it?

With rare exceptions, Bloom's policy is to provide donor milk after birth only. This policy is in place to prevent compromising a parent’s confidence in establishing their own milk supply and to promote quality lactation support. Dr. Hughes does encourage and can help identify lactation-promotimg practices and resources before birth with her prenatal lactation consultation. Dr. Hughes does welcome you or a family member to reach out at the first sign of an evidenced need for supplementation, whether in the hospital or at home.

The milk I received is bright yellow (blue, green, orange, etc.). Is it OK to give to my baby?

The composition of colostrum and human milk changes from day-to-day and feeding-to-feeding. Normal human milk can appear thin and blue or thick and yellow. There is also natural variation in color due to maternal diet. Diets rich in leafy greens, for example, can cast a greenish hue to milk. Beta carotene-rich foods can cause milk to appear orange, and certain vitamin supplementation can cause it to appear green-yellow.

The thawed donor milk smells funny. Is it OK to give to my baby?

Some mothers produce milk with a higher amount of lipase, a naturally occurring enzyme present in all milk that helps break down fats into free fatty acids. It is unknown why some mothers produce more lipase, but this milk is not considered harmful. It is only an issue when milk is exposed to the air through pumping and handling. High lipase milk can smell soapy or sour when thawed. Most babies do not mind the taste.

Can you explain the lactation risk score you use?

Yes. Dr. Hughes utilizes The Infant Risk Center database of over 20,000 drugs, supplements, and prescriptions. Drs. Thomas Hale and Kaytlin Krutsch have performed extensive research on the effects of medications in mother’s milk. They have given each medication a rating from Safest (L1) to Hazardous (L5). The Lactation Risk Categories are explained below:

• L1 Safest: Extensive evidence demonstrating no adverse effects on the infant

• L2 Safer: Limited evidence without an increase in adverse effects on the infant

• L3 Probably Safe: No studies, but expert opinion suggesting safety. Risk to the infant is possible, and further evaluation must be taken to consider individual situations.

• L4 Possibly Hazardous: Positive evidence or expert opinion of risk to the infant or milk production.

• L5 Hazardous: Significant and documented risk to the infant. Contraindicated

Please fill out the form below and Dr. Hughes will contact you.