There is no minimum or maximum amount you may donate at one time. Donors are asked to commit to donating 100 ounces before their baby turns one year old.
The milk bank receives frozen breastmilk that has previously been stored in freezers.
If breastmilk is kept in a regular freezer, it can be up to 3 months old. If kept in a deep freezer, it can be up to 6 months old.
Unfortunately, mothers are unable to donate their milk containing fenugreek.
After the pasteurization process and lab testing, donor breastmilk is sent primarily to local Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Some out-of-state hospitals also receive donor breastmilk for their NICUs.
Donors do not receive any payment for their donations.
The milk bank will gladly send insulated boxes and cover all shipping expenses for donors who wish to send their milk from out-of-state.
Donors may send any frozen breastmilk (within the acceptable age range and free of restricted medications) that may be currently stored.
Any type of storage container donors wish to send to the milk bank is acceptable. However, the milk bank can provide storage containers so that donors do not have to purchase their own.
Simply contact the Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank at (405) 297-5683 for a short phone screening to test donor eligibility.
Yes. All milk that has been frozen and even some refrigerated milk does not taste the same as fresh. Some people have described it as soapy or spoiled tasting. Yet it is perfectly good for your baby and fine to donate. Freezing the milk changes the lipid (fat) molecules and this makes it taste or smell different. Babies who have had stored milk all their lives do not mind the taste but it may be a reason that a baby that has never had stored milk rejects it.
Your doctor knows about your baby’s health and knows that your baby will be fine with the medication you are taking. All medications enter the blood stream and some of it also enters the milk you are pumping. The babies we serve are very fragile. Some of them are preterm babies as small as 1 pound and very sick. OMMB must be very careful and protect these little ones so we are not able to take milk during the time you are taking most medication.