Breastmilk banks supply fresh breastmilk. You may choose to use banked milk if you:
- Do not make enough milk to satisfy the needs of your baby
- Have a certain illness that makes you unable to breastfeed
- Take medicine that prevents you from breastfeeding your baby
Some mothers give their milk directly to parents of babies in need. This is called \”casual sharing.\” But this milk has not been tested in a lab like milk has at a human milk bank. The Food and Drug Administration recommends against feeding your baby breastmilk that you get either directly from other women or through the Internet.
A human milk bank can give you donor human milk if you have a prescription from your doctor. For more information on milk banking and how to contact a milk bank, visit the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.