Buy Breastmilk
By now, most new parents know that breastmilk is better for babies than formula. But sometimes, due to adoption, surrogacy or medical issues with babies and mothers, it's impossible to produce breastmilk. However, you can still get breastmilk for your baby by purchasing it.
Instructions
1. Talk to your pediatrician. You need a prescription to purchase breastmilk before you contact a milk bank. Most pediatricians are strong breastfeeding proponents and may have a breastmilk bank they recommend or have worked with in the past.
2. Contact one of the eleven human milk banks in North America (United States and Canada). These banks accept donated breastmilk from extremely carefully screened lactating mothers. The breastmilk is also pasteurized and tested for bacteria before selling. Human milk banks follow the guidelines for accepting and selling breastmilk from The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBA).
3. Expect to pay about two to three dollars an ounce for breastmilk, though your insurance company may pick up a portion or all of that cost. While the cost may seem expensive, the cost pays for only a portion of the screening costs. Milk banks stay open due to donations and local fundraising groups. Speak to your insurance company to see if they will pay for the breastmilk.
4. Locate a wet nurse. Used primarily in the past, a wet nurse is a lactating woman who directly breastfeeds babies or pumps her milk for a specific baby. Wet nurses are difficult to find, and must be pre-screened. La Leche League has a list of wet nurses in your area, or your pediatrician may know of one.
5. Purchase breastmilk from a pre-screened mother, rather than a stranger, if you choose not to use a human milk bank. Breastmilk can carry a large variety of diseases including HIV and hepatitis that can be passed to your baby.
6. Speak to La Leche League if you're still uncertain of proceed. La Leche League may be able to refer you to a place to buy breastmilk.
Tags: breastmilk from, Leche League, human milk, insurance company, milk bank, milk banks, North America