As a new donor, you need to complete our screening process before donating. If you have stored milk, please complete the form for the period of the stored milk.
By completing the screening form, you agree that you have read the pre-screening information and:
- Understand milk cannot be returned once donated
- Consent to a sample of blood being tested for HIV, HTLV, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis
- Consent to a positive blood result being shared with your GP
- Consent to information about you, your health and donations being stored on a database
- Consent to your milk being used for research purposes
We can’t accept milk from you if you:
- smoke, or are using nicotine replacement therapy or are vaping
- regularly drink more than 1 to 2 units of alcohol once or twice per week
- take certain medications including antidepressants, high blood pressure medication and certain pain killers
We also ask that you keep your caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee, soft drinks) to a minimum.
Completing Donor Screening
Please answer the questions accurately as donation depends on the answers and the results of your blood tests. Answering yes doesn’t mean you can’t donate but we may need extra information.
As we can’t use antenatal blood results, we will send you a kit for a new blood sample to get taken at your GP practice. You post this back to us in a prepaid Royal Mail box. We test you for: HIV, Hepatitis B and C, HTLV 1 and 2 and Syphilis. We can give you more information on these tests if required.
If your blood test gives a positive result for any of these infections, we will refer you for advice on any issues which may affect your own health. A positive test means you can’t donate.
How long can I donate for?
It’s best to establish your own milk supply, usually around 6 weeks postnatally, before expressing for donation. You don’t need to express more than once a day and you can donate until your baby is around two.
Donations of already expressed milk are also accepted if the milk has been stored and frozen appropriately, is less than 90 days old and is a reasonable amount (around 3 litres or more).
Data Protection
The Milk Bank keeps a record of your information on a secure computerised database. This database is used to communicate with donors and to record your donation details, including your blood sample test results.
All your information is treated in the strictest confidence. Families whose babies receive donor milk can’t access your information at any point. Your information may also be used for research to improve our knowledge about the milk donor population, for clinical audit and to assess and improve the quality of our service. We may contact you for feedback on the service we provide.
We may use some of the information you give us for other reasons and sometimes the law requires us to pass on information if there is a genuine need (for instance in matters of Public Health). Whenever we can, we will remove details which identify you. All information and data that is processed by the Milk Bank is in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act (1998). Everyone has a legal duty to keep all information confidential, and everyone who receives information from us is also legally obliged to keep it confidential. You have a right of access to your donor records. If you want to access your records, contact our Donor Coordinator.
Donor Screening Form
Once you have read all the information, please complete the screening form:
Collecting Milk for Donation
Your milk should be expressed by hand or breast pump. ‘Drip milk’ that leaks while you are feeding your baby from the other breast is not ideal as it tends to have less fat, protein and calories.
Your equipment for expressing does not need to be sterilised but good personnel hygiene, hand washing and clean preparation areas are important. Your expressing equipment should be washed in hot soapy water and clear of all milk debris, then rinsed in cool water, dried and stored in a container lined with paper towel and covered with a lid between uses. Please use paper towel for drying your hands and equipment.
We will provide sterilised collection bottles and labels for your milk. When collecting your milk, be careful not to touch the inside of the bottle or lid. Leave a 2cm gap at the top of the bottle as the milk will expand when frozen.
Where possible you should freeze your milk after expressing. If this is not possible, you can keep it in the fridge and frozen within 24 hours. It doesn’t matter if there is only a small amount of milk in a bottle at the end of each day. These can be topped up with chilled freshly pumped milk.
All your stored milk should remain frozen. We ask you to record the temperature of your freezer every day (preferably in the morning) and provide a thermometer for this. Store your milk in your freezer separately from food in the plastic bag we provide.
You should contact the milk bank staff to discuss donation if you:
- develop a temperature or have been exposed to a virus that causes a rash such as chicken pox or German measles (rubella)
- start taking medication
- develop breast lesions or infections such as mastitis
- travel outside the UK
Requesting Milk Collection
Remember milk must be processed within 90 days. You can request a collection and extra bottles and labels using the Milk Collection Form