Informed donation
Breast milk is the best food for newborns: it contains essential nutrients, bioactive factors, and key immunological components. When a mother’s milk is unavailable or insufficient, donated human milk can make a real difference, especially for preterm and fragile babies.
International recommendations support exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and continued breastfeeding afterwards according to mother and baby. Donating part of excess milk is a concrete act of care for other newborns.
Donors can be healthy mothers with an appropriate lifestyle, breastfeeding within the first year of their baby’s life, and producing more milk than their own baby needs.
Eligibility is assessed through medical history, questionnaire, and serological screening. Many mothers collect milk after feeding: complete breast emptying may support production.
Contact your reference milk bank: staff will guide you through procedures, materials, collection, storage, and delivery. Initial assessment includes clinical history and tests (e.g. hepatitis B/C, HIV), according to healthcare protocols.
In some conditions, breastfeeding your own baby may still be possible, while donation may be temporarily or permanently contraindicated.
Answer a few questions to receive an initial orientation and a clear next step toward milk banks, contacts, and reference documents.
Even small amounts are useful. Regular collection is recommended. The donated quantity varies from one woman to another and by breastfeeding stage. In general, it is preferable to start early (within the first month), once breastfeeding is well established.
Expression can be manual or with a breast pump (often electric for prolonged donations). Hygiene standards are essential: handwashing, cleaning/disinfection of equipment, and proper handling of containers.
Milk must be collected in sterile containers, rapidly cooled, and stored according to milk bank instructions. Each container must be labelled with name and expression date.
Exclusion criteria include high-risk behaviors, some drug therapies, acute/chronic conditions, or positivity to specific infections, according to clinical protocol.
The selection process protects the receiving newborn, the donor, and the donor’s own baby.
Italian milk banks follow SIN Guidelines. Donated milk is checked, processed, and fully traceable. Pasteurization (typically 62.5°C for 30 minutes) ensures microbiological safety while preserving nutritional value.
Pasteurized milk is then stored and distributed on medical indication to units and patients for whom it is indicated.
Associazione Italiana Banche del Latte Umano Donato
Banca Prossima - Milan branch, Piazza Paolo Ferrari 10, 20121 Milan
IBAN: IT11V0335901600100000060941
BIC: BCITITMX
You can also allocate your 5x1000 tax share: CF 97402730150.
Human Milk Link service is also available to facilitate home donation where active.
