• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • mom

Can you trust breast milk banks?

by Pregnancy Editors Leave a Comment

Bank on breast milk

For a mother who can’t breastfeed, donor breast milk is a way to provide vital nutrition as well as antibodies to her baby. But can a new mom count on the safety of donated milk?

Gretchen Flatau, director of Mothers’ Milk Bank in Austin, TX, says donor milk at her bank, and at all of the non-profit banks operated by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), is screened for bacteria. The HMBANA develops guidelines, updated yearly, which were created in conjunction with the blood-banking industry and the Centers for Disease Control, Flatau says. Those standards are upheld at all of the 10 breast milk banks under the association’s umbrella.

The donor screening process includes calls to their doctors and their babies’ doctors, Flatau says. Plus, donated milk is pasteurized and put through microbial testing.

Carrie Thayer, mom of two and a newborn nursery nurse from Cedar Park, Texas, says she has been donating breast milk since her second son was born. As a nurse, Thayer cares for sick and premature babies, so she knows how important breast milk is to those children. The majority of the milk received at Flatau’s bank is shipped to women in states without banks. There are also for-profit banks that are not affiliated with the HMBANA. Every for-profit milk bank has its own standards that do not necessarily follow the standards for non-profit milk banks, which are all controlled by the HMBANA.

 

Some mothers also choose to obtain milk through a friend or other personal connection, but experts recommend using a doctor as an intermediary so the milk, and the donor, can be tested.

 

Go to hmbana.org

online pharmacy purchase reglan no prescription with best prices today in the USA

to learn more donated milk banks affiliated with the HMBANA; or look at milkbanking.net

online pharmacy zocor for sale no prescription pharmacy

, which includes a list of both for-profit and non-profit banks in each state.

Read our related article Buying Breast milk online is risky business

Filed Under: Breastfeeding News

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Peaceful Discipline by Sarah Moore

More to See

parent coaching

Parent Coaching: 3 Ways to Create a More Joyful Home

By Sarah Moore

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

Discover the 5 Best Eye Creams for Moms Over 30 in 2025

By Emme Lukasik

10 Stylish Headphones for Personal Calm for Mom in 2025

By Emme Lukasik

Footer

© Copyright –2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • Finding Calm: Top Aroma Diffusers for Moms
  • Discover the 5 Best Eye Creams for Moms Over 30 in 2025
  • 3 Developmental Milestones (Among Many) That Concern Parents Before Age 5
  • The latest in smart rings for pregnant and new moms 2025
  • Refresh your routine: best facial cleansers for skin over thirty

Search

© © Copyright –2025 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT