Feelings on Milk banks

[tabi_cat1023]

How do you honestly feel about milk banks?

If you dont know about milk banks they are places that take donor milk and test it, treat it, package it, process it and then sell it to needy families.  Insurance covers the cost for some babies like those in NICUs.  They charge $3-8 an ounce generally.

[RochelleFS]

It's a great concept but way overpriced.

[victoriangavin]

I'm getting set up to donate but the one I'm donating to doesn't sell it

[Baby_Avas_Momma]

I just don't like that they charge people for it, especially where there are things like WIC for example that pass out cases of formula at the drop of a hat. Donor milk should be just as available as formula, in my opinion. ;)

[MommyO2-6631]

I think it would be great if WIC covered it. But $3-8 an ounce.... that's a lot of money! And what do you mean they "treat it"... with what and how??

[tabi_cat1023]

ALL milk banks sell it, they say not for profit but they all charge...

Quoting victoriangavin:

I'm getting set up to donate but the one I'm donating to doesn't sell it

[tabi_cat1023]

Sadly WIC here discourages milk sharing, they found out I was donating milk and their IBCLC came and told me how dangerous it was, how much I was risking, and said I was lucky I didnt have a WIC pump because she would demand it back.

Quoting Baby_Avas_Momma:

I just don't like that they charge people for it, especially where there are things like WIC for example that pass out cases of formula at the drop of a hat. Donor milk should be just as available as formula, in my opinion. ;)

[tabi_cat1023]

They pasteurize it, kinda like cows milk....basically heating it to kill bacteria, but it also kills some of the good stuff in it.  They also check the calories in it and mix the different donors milks to get a set amounts of calories.

Quoting MommyO2-6631:

I think it would be great if WIC covered it. But $3-8 an ounce.... that's a lot of money! And what do you mean they "treat it"... with what and how??

[Baby_Avas_Momma]

That's terrible!! When do you EVER hear bad things about donor milk (other than from those who think it's icky)??

Quoting tabi_cat1023:

Sadly WIC here discourages milk sharing, they found out I was donating milk and their IBCLC came and told me how dangerous it was, how much I was risking, and said I was lucky I didnt have a WIC pump because she would demand it back.

Quoting Baby_Avas_Momma:

I just don't like that they charge people for it, especially where there are things like WIC for example that pass out cases of formula at the drop of a hat. Donor milk should be just as available as formula, in my opinion. ;)

[Emadele]

I don't like that they charge for it. I know they say it is just to cover the processing and stuff but I just don't think it should cost that much. I think I maybe more ok with it if it were priced the same as formula. I donate directly to a baby that is 2wk older than ds2. If I didn't have that arrangement and couldn't set up another, or had milk I couldn't use and couldn't donate directly I'd probably donate it to a bank before letting it go to waste.

[YzmaRocks]

This. I cannot afford a milk bank so I use local mothers instead.

Quoting RochelleFS:

It's a great concept but way overpriced.