Wholesome Reasons Why Donating Breastmilk Should Be A Thing

Here’s why we should start donating breast milk to other moms if our supply is more than enough.

“Breast is best”. We tend to hear the same line over and over. But not everyone’s got breasts that can lactate enough. Despite eating all sorts of lactation cookies, taking supplements, getting a lactation massage, consulting with specialists, and doing therapies to get us to produce more milk, sometimes, it just doesn’t cut it! So when some moms can’t produce their own breastmilk, here’s why donating breast milk should be a thing.

1. Hyperlactation, the reason why our boobs ache

When our breasts ache, it’s sometimes because of our baby’s teeth or because there’s a lot of milk to pump. That’s what many doctors call “Hyperlactation Syndrome”. It usually occurs during early breastfeeding which can sometimes overwhelm our babies. To ease the pain, we can pump out the extra breast milk and give it to an anguished mom who’s feeling the pressure of “breast is best”.

2. You can help premature babies!

Premature babies have weaker immune systems and need more nutrition than full-term babies. Worse, premature births can sometimes affect a mom’s ability to produce breast milk. The stress, anxiety, and trauma—a mama doesn’t need more of that. Donating some breast milk to a mom with a premature baby will definitely help alleviate the situation.

3. Lowers the chances of postpartum depression in other moms

Postpartum depression often occurs in new moms in the form of feeling “not enough” to be a mother. Because society has made “breastfeeding” one of the biggest components of being a mother, offering a new mom a donation of breast milk not only creates a friend but also alleviates the guilt and stress.

4. Donor breast milk is easier to digest than most formulas.

Normally, premature babies rely on specific baby formulas to boost their weight and immune system. But the formula can be a bit much for their bodies to take which is why science has always argued for breast milk. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, breast milk contains “growth hormones” which allow the baby to develop and grow. It also reduces the chances of illness and allergies later on.

5. Breast milk: The closest thing to organic

Some of us are really rigid and inflexible when it comes to eating “organic” and “non-organic” goods. And formula is one of those “non-organic” goods. When these moms find themselves in a rut of being unable to produce their own breast milk, there’s at least donor breast milk that has been screened heavily by a hospital.

6. We end up just throwing the breast milk away anyway!

Some of us who produce way too much milk end up throwing away the spoiled milk. But that’s a waste of growth hormones and nutrients that are not easily found in formula. Freezing breast milk up and donating it to a mom who can’t produce her own is far better than just throwing it away.

7. Finding a friend in another mom

It’s hard for moms to make friends, especially during the first two years of their baby’s life. Finding another mom who’s going through the same phase as you are definitely makes life easier.

8. Lower chances of getting an infection

Yes, moms can get infections from breastfeeding. Often known as Mastitis, according to Sonali Shivlani of Neolacta, it can affect 2-20% of lactating moms. Usually, this kind of infection is because we don’t pump out enough breast milk. So whenever we have the chance, pump out everything. Then, if we have too much, donate the rest of the breast milk to a mama who needs it.

9. It helps balance out your own milk quality

In breast milk, there are two kinds: foremilk and hindmilk. The foremilk has more nutrients but less fat which babies burn really quickly. When one’s breast milk has more foremilk than hindmilk, babies tend to get hungry more frequently, becoming extra fussy in the process. Pumping and donating breast milk that your babies won’t need can also help balance the quality of your own breast milk to make it better for your babies.

10. It’s been proven for years!

The idea of having a “wet nurse” has always been a thing in Europe. When queens have babies, they usually delegate a wet nurse so they always look picture perfect when meeting the rest of the countries’ delegates. If babies can drink milk from another mother, there shouldn’t be anything wrong with donating our breast milk to a mama in need.

Donating breast milk should be a thing

While countries like the United States allow this, in the Philippines, it’s a rare sight to see a mom donating breast milk to another mom. However, there are a lot of benefits to doing so. Some countries have already resorted to this to make sure babies remain healthy and leave the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) earlier.

More about breastfeeding for this week:

23 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Breastfeeding Guilt: The Pressure of “Breast Is Best”
These 5 Swimwear Brands Are Pregnancy and Breastfeeding-Friendly!