Breast milk donation can help hospitalized babies in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). By donating your precious milk, you have the unique opportunity to share with those most in need. If a mother's own milk is unavailable, donor human milk is a vital, lifesaving source of nutrition for premature infants and other infants in need of specialized care. It provides the best protection against devastating infections and helps to reduce the risk of diseases.
Donated breast milk is shipped to our community milk banks where it is processed, gently pasteurized, tested, and distributed to hospitals and families throughout the region. The Human Milk Donation Centers at St. Luke's Children's Hospital in Boise, at St. Luke's Magic Valley, and at St. Luke's Meridian provide convenient, local drop-off sites for people who might be in a position to donate their milk. The centers serve as midpoints between the milk donor and the milk bank, making it as easy as possible for you to give this much needed and highly valued gift.
For more information on becoming a milk donor and the screening process involved, please visit our community milk banks at:
Our St. Luke's lactation consultants are available to answer additional questions, help facilitate lab work and schedule milk drop offs for approved donors.
Review recommendations from the CDC for the care and handling of breast pump equipment and pumped human milk.
Learn more about the screening and pasteurization process required of facilities accredited by The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA).
