We are incredibly grateful for the selfless milk donors who make a life-changing difference for fragile babies in need. Every ounce shared is a gift of love, hope, and healing. Read these inspiring stories to see the impact of our incredible milk donors!
Donor Megan
“My baby boy, Wesley, received donor milk while in the hospital as we waited for my milk to come in. We stayed in the hospital for three days after his birth due to complications, and the donor milk gave me peace of mind. Just knowing that a momma somewhere out there gave her milk—full of love—helped me feel better about my supply not being in yet and knowing my baby was still receiving breastmilk. I didn’t want to rely on formula if I didn’t have to.
When my milk did come in, I had a deep appreciation for the effort and time that donors put into it. I made it my mission to try to give back and pay it forward. It helped my baby, and I want to pay it forward for as long as I can.”
Milk Recipient Caleb
“We are two dads—Joey and Ryan—who recently welcomed our beautiful son, Caleb, into the world. As first-time parents, we were committed to giving Caleb the best start possible, and that included wanting him to benefit from the nutrition and protection of human milk, even though we couldn’t provide it ourselves.
Thanks to this milk bank and the generosity of donor families, Caleb will be able to thrive during his early days. The kindness of strangers will directly impact our family and fills us with gratitude. Every ounce of milk is a gift to our little boy, and we are forever thankful to the parents who donate and to the staff who make it all possible.”
Donor Juli
“My baby was small for gestational age (7 lbs at 41 weeks) and has struggled to breastfeed. While we were in the hospital, we used donor milk several times to feed our baby while we were getting the hang of pumping and waiting for my milk to come in. With the donor milk, I knew there was a woman out there who had given selflessly to help a stranger’s baby, and I felt compelled to be that selfless woman if I ever had the chance.
Since I have an oversupply of milk, I know I can help lots of babies by giving back to the community that gave to me and my baby.”
Donor Susana
“My daughter was born preterm at 24 weeks. She doesn’t need all the milk I produce, and my my freezer is already full. When I learned about becoming a donor with Mothers’ Milk Bank, I saw it as a great way to stay motivated in pumping while helping other babies like my daughter.”
Donor Sarah
“I didn’t know that breast milk could be donated and shared with families in need. When my daughter, Grace, was born at 34 weeks, my milk hadn’t come in yet. I was overwhelmed with gratitude knowing that another mom had made the selfless decision to donate, ensuring my baby could receive the benefits of breast milk when she needed it most. Grace is now thriving, and those first few days of donor milk made all the difference.”
Donor Kimberly
“I am so glad we were able to share our breastfeeding success with other babies. As a NICU nurse, I see every day how important these donations are.”
Mia, US
“After not making enough milk for my first baby, I ended up overproducing due to pumping after breastfeeding. I have been freezing this milk, but the amount is surpassing what we can store nor what my baby could consume, so I started investigating options for donation. I came across Mother’s Milk Bank of Colorado and the fact that they have a local drop off. I am thrilled to be able to donate my milk and put it to good use for another baby after not having enough for my first.”
Jessica, Colorado
“Having a baby in the NICU meant that our feeding journey looked a little different in the beginning. My son needed donor milk for the first couple of days, so I was deeply grateful for that resource. Having gone through that, I wanted to be able to return the favor for another mom and baby who might need just a little bit of help.”
Meredith, US
“My daughter was born 5 weeks early and was in the NICU for 12 days. During that time, we received donor milk, and we are so grateful for it! My current freezer supply cannot be used for my daughter anymore so I hope my milk can go on to help another baby/mama in need.”
Ashley, Colorado
“I am a mama to two beautiful little boys. My firstborn was in the NICU for 16 days and was using donor milk for the first few days until my milk came in, so I have a special place in my heart for NICU mamas and milk donors! My second born was born at 37 weeks and thankfully needed no NICU time. I have had a pretty large oversupply, and I thought, what better way than to donate this milk to babies who need it! I truly hope this helps so many babies!”
Jovanna, US
“I discovered Mothers’ Milk Bank by asking my midwife about donating breast milk. I have an oversupply and exclusively breastfeed my baby, so I thought donating would be a wonderful way to help others.”
Becky, Alaska
“Our oldest son was stillborn in 2019. One way we have always felt passionate about honoring him is by helping other babies in need. I’ve been very blessed with his younger siblings to have extra milk. We were able to donate 3000 ounces with our daughter and 2680 ounces with our son. We recently gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, and at 12 weeks old, we were able to donate our first 1000 ounces in honor of their big brother.”
Kallie, Kansas
“Our sweet NICU baby was born just shy of reaching 26 weeks’ gestation. I was admitted into the hospital on April 27th (24-week appointment) after our doctor saw concerning fluid amounts and lack of gestational growth. This came as a complete surprise to my husband and me as she was growing perfectly, and everything looked great at our 20-week appointment. On May 7th, our sweet baby girl, Emersyn Reva, was born into this world at just 470 grams. We knew our small but mighty little baby would be in for a LONG fight, but we were there to help in any way possible. For me, the way to start helping was by exclusively pumping. I was nervous because I didn’t know if I would be a great producer, and you hear from others that an early delivery sometimes hurts those chances even more. I am so thankful I was able to produce more than enough to help Emersyn but hopefully others that will also need it. Unfortunately, our sweet little fighter became our sweet angel on November 20th, just shy of reaching 200 days in the NICU. In the days after her passing, I saw a story on social media about a mom donating her breast milk after her son had passed away. For me, this was a sign that I needed to inquire and see about donating my breast milk to help another little fighter or family that may need it. Emersyn was strong, brave, a fighter, happy, patient, lovable, sweet, and now our sweet angel baby. I hope that my little donation can help another family in need.”
Abigail, Idaho
“My sweet baby boy was born at 36 weeks at four pounds and eleven ounces. This was my first baby and I was so scared. He had a feeding tube for a couple of days but quickly became stronger. He is now 9 weeks and 9 pounds. I thankfully was able to do skin-to-skin with him to increase my milk supply starting on day two. I am now an over supplier, and I hope and pray that my milk can help babies and mothers in need. Your baby being in the NICU is difficult enough, and I hope that by donating milk, I can help a mother have less stress and help a baby grow strong.”
Casandra, Colorado
“I have had a few experiences with being around babies who were sick or in the NICU. While in high school, my best friend’s mom had twins who were born premature and in the NICU for a month. When I was 18 years old, my 2-year-old cousin died from cancer after a year-long battle. Being in the hospital with her and seeing all the babies who need help has always stuck with me.
I recently was lucky enough to have a healthy baby (number 3 for me). My cousin also had their first baby just a few weeks after me. They struggled to get pregnant, had their little one 3 weeks early, and had to spend a week in the NICU. This really made me want to do something to help in some way. I am fortunate enough to have a great supply of milk, so I decided to reach out to become a donor and hopefully help babies if I can. Knowing I can help save babies and take even just some stress off of parents makes me so happy and fills my heart.”
Camille, Wyoming
“In a serendipitous twist of fate on Thanksgiving Day 2022, our dynamic duo, Haidyn Joseph and Greyson James, made their dramatic entrance into the world at 34.5 weeks gestation in Casper, Wyoming, specifically at the Banner Wyoming Medical Center. Haidyn, an eager adventurer, ensured their early arrival by breaking his amniotic sack, turning their birth into a naturally compelling spectacle on Turkey Day! Facing the challenge of nourishing two tiny beings, my maternal efforts fell short in the initial 10 days. Enter the unsung heroes – generous donors of human milk, whose liquid gold became the lifeline for our duo, propelling them beyond their modest birth weights of 4.4 and 4.14lbs. It was a heartwarming journey of reliance on the kindness of strangers, and our gratitude knows no bounds for those who fortified our babies during their most delicate days. The resonance of this generosity has left an indelible mark on our hearts. Now armed with an abundant supply of breast milk, I am fueled by the desire to pay it forward. The tale of our twins’ early arrival and the collective goodwill of those who rallied behind them has inspired a newfound mission – a mission to become a beacon of hope and support for others, just as we were once recipients of such compassion.”
Lindsey, New Mexico
“When I was pregnant with my daughter and asked if I planned to breastfeed, my response was always yes. I said yes, because I thought it was the correct answer and that I should at least give it a try. I really wasn’t expecting to stick with it, because of all the stories of how painful it would be and how much work it was. Thankfully my daughter came out, knowing that her job was to eat and I’ve had no problem producing enough milk. As my freezer filled up and then I filled up a deep freeze too, I knew I needed to sign up as a donor. By the time my daughter was 3 months old I had over 1200 oz frozen. SO far we have yet to use any frozen milk for ourselves. I plan to drop off milk every month for as long as I’m able.”
Natasha, Colorado
“In December 2023, our little miracle was born! I had a complicated pregnancy followed by a rough delivery. I had a post-delivery hemorrhage and needed a D&C in the operating room about 30 minutes after my baby was born. Before I started fading quickly, I remember the nurses asking me if I wanted my baby to have donor milk or formula. I remember saying donor milk. My husband was able to feed my baby donor milk from a bottle for the first few days while I was recovering from the blood loss. I was able to also pump and my milk came in fast! We left the hospital with some donor milk just to have peace of mind when we got home. I want to give back to babies in my community and across the country! I have an oversupply and I want to help others, just like I was helped during my time of need.”
