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Milk Bank Scotland

Thank you for donating your milk for research. We appreciate your consideration at this difficult time and would be grateful if you could complete the record form: 

We want to make the screening process as easy as possible. The healthcare team caring for you and your baby, can talk you through this and answer any questions you may have. You can also speak to the milk bank staff directly on 0141 232 7973. 

All families who donate after loss, can have their baby’s name added to the tree. We also gift a Memory Milk Pebble with the baby’s name to remember their precious gift to others. These are available at any time during the donation journey or afterwards by filling out the Memory Tree Consent Form further below. Families are also welcome to visit the Memory Milk Tree by calling 0141 232 7973 or emailing donor.milkbank@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

You can check if you meet the full criteria for donation, please complete the Screening Form for Donation in the Screening Process section below. 

Sometimes your milk cannot be used to feed other babies. For example, if you smoke or vape or are on certain medication. Your healthcare team or the milk bank can advise you.  

If you would still like to donate milk, we can accept up to two litres for research or other purposes like testing equipment in the milk bank. Please complete the Consent for Research Donations form in the Screening Process section below. 

You can also request a collection of your stored milk by using the Collection Form in the Screening Process section. 

You can download our information leaflet “Breast care after loss” here. We hope this information will help you make decisions about your care and your breastmilk which are right for you. There are also links to organisations and resources that can help you and your family think about options for remembrance as well as to find help and support.

Screening Process

We want to make the screening process as simple as possible. The healthcare team caring for you and your baby can talk you through this and answer any questions you may have. Sometimes your milk cannot be used directly to feed other babies. For example, if you smoke, vape or are on certain medications. In these circumstances, we offer you the choice to donate your milk for research and other purposes like ensuring best practice in the milk bank. You can get the link to both of the consent forms below.

We may also need to have a blood sample from you. These can be taken prior to discharge or by your GP and posted back to us. We provide a special kit for this.

If you have milk stored at home, we can arrange to collect your milk at a convenient time for you. Simply complete the collection form below.  

Continuing to express

Although milk donation does not suit everyone, some families find comfort in continuing to express and donating. We would encourage you to discuss this with the healthcare team caring for you to help make a decision that feels right for you. They can also give you advice about expressing, including how soon to start and how often to express. 

To support you to express your breastmilk, we have organised a free pump loan and set for you to use whilst donating.

Your healthcare team or the Milk Bank will be able to give you the special code for this. Simply add the code when completing the form.

A pump will be delivered to you as soon as possible, usually the next working day. You will have to use a Debit or Credit Card to place the order which will be charged 30p. This will be refunded once the order is processed. If this is not an option for you, please get in touch with the milk bank on 0141 232 7973 or email donor.milkbank@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Please use these links for instructions on how to use the pump.

We also have dedicated Instagram and twitter accounts for bereaved families where, if you would like, we can share your baby’s story on our Instagram or Twitter

We want to make sure your baby’s name is correct when we paint it on the tree and pebble. We also need to get your consent for it to be included in any media we may use. Can you complete the form using the Consent for Memory Milk Tree and Pebble Contact Form below. 

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

To arrange a collection of milk, please complete the form below and submit by Wednesday with your availability for the following week. If the form is submitted between Thursday and Sunday availability would be for the next week again.

Our volunteers all carry personalised identification cards. The service has a doorstop policy and volunteers will not enter your home. The only exception to this would be if you have an accessibility requirement and were unable to bring the milk to the door yourself. On these occasions our volunteers will carry out a personal risk assessment before entering your home, for example finding out if the household has a pet before offering assistance.

We will be in touch shortly to let you know when we will be out.

If you need a freezer sheet you can download it by clicking the following link.

Freezer Sheet (PDF)

Please use the contact form below to get in touch.

We will do our best to answer any questions as quickly as possible.

Donor Human Milk – what is it?

Donor human milk (DHM) is breastmilk donated to a human milk bank by mothers who have extra to spare. Donors are screened, including blood tests, to make sure their milk is suitable. The milk is also tested for bacteria before being heat treated. Just like with blood donations, the milk is freely donated, and its use tracked and recorded. 

In the UK, like many countries, DHM is available for some babies whose mothers may not have enough of their own breastmilk in the early days. Other types of feed include infant formula which is usually made from cow’s milk but doesn’t have all of the benefits of human milk.  

Donor Human Milk – Why donate it?

Local, national and global recommendations support the use of donor human milk, especially for babies who are born early, are very small or sick. Most of the babies getting donor human milk are being cared for in a neonatal unit. It is mainly offered for the first few days but sometimes can be for longer. We also provide some donor milk for mums at home who can’t breastfeed due to medical circumstances. 

Donor human milk can also be used to support breastfeeding in the first day or two. Some babies may require a little extra milk while waiting for mums milk supply. You can read Eilidh’s story below.

Eilidh’s story: Donor Human Milk – supporting breastfeeding

New mum Eilidh leaned on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Milk Bank to breastfeed her son.

“To put it simply, the milk bank and provision of donor milk is the reason I’ve been fortunate enough to breastfeed my son. He arrived at 37 weeks and had a short stay in the NICU, and donor milk allowed him to get a great start while we were separated in those early days.

“I had some challenges with breast feeding at the start – my milk took a while to come in, expressing wasn’t yielding the volumes he needed to gain weight and latching was hard, but the milk bank and provision of donor milk meant that, while all these issues were ironed out, he continued to get all the goodness he needed from donated breast milk. This set him up for when I was able to give him what he needed.

“We are so grateful to the women who donate their milk and allow this service to be available to those who need it,” said Eilidh.

Mothers are supported to collect their colostrum and to express frequently. This helps to establish their own milk supply. There is lots of information about expressing, breast feeding and early feeding challenges at RHC Neonatal Infant Feeding

Donor human milk provides easily digested nutrition along with many anti-infective and other active components that help protect baby’s immature tummies and keep them healthy. 

If you would like to donate, please go to the “How to become a donor” section below to access the screening form. You can also arrange a collection of milk from there. 

How to become a Donor

Becoming a donor is an amazing step and could help many babies across Scotland. Your own baby is the priority, so we only take milk that is truly surplus to your baby’s needs. The age limit for donation is around two. We can also take stored milk that is less than 90 days old. You can find out about expressing your milk from the Parent Club.

Who can donate milk?

Although you are donating breast milk, it’s similar to becoming a blood donor and there are only a few things that would stop you donating. There is a screening process which includes questions about your medical history, lifestyle and diet.

You can donate milk if:

  • you are breast feeding or expressing for your own baby
  • you are and remain in good health
  • you are able to commit to a period of donating
  • you have milk stored appropriately and in acceptable containers

You cannot donate milk if:

  • you smoke, vape or are using nicotine replacement therapy
  • you take certain medications including antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, certain pain killers and high blood pressure medication.
  • Please contact the milk bank to discuss medications and herbal remedies you take regularly

You can donate if you have had a piercing, tattoo or blood transfusion but we can’t complete the blood tests until 4 months after this.

Click below for screening:

If you would like more information about donation or to get a paper copy of the screening form, please use the Contact Form and we will get back to as soon as we can.

To arrange milk collection click the Collection Form button.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to live near the milk bank?

No, we can collect donor milk from all over mainland Scotland.

Can I donate milk I have already stored in my freezer?

Yes but the milk must be pasteurised within 90 days so it’s important to let the milk bank know as soon as possible so that it can be transported within that time. If you are donating milk already in your freezer, remember to answer the health and lifestyle questions for that time.

Can you use the blood tests I had done antenatally?

No, unfortunately we can’t. We do some extra screening tests which are not covered by your antenatal blood tests.

What happens to the milk?

The milk is tested for unwanted bacteria. All breast milk has bacteria in it, and in normal circumstances these are acceptable and helpful. Because our milk is used to feed premature and sick babies we need to make sure no unwanted bacteria are present.

Once all the screening tests are concluded, the milk is re-labelled and distributed throughout Scotland.

Memory Milk Gift – donation after loss

We believe every family who lose a child before the age of two, should have the choice to donate breast milk in their memory and commemorated on our Memory Milk Tree at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 

To find out more about Memory Milk Gift Initiative click the link below.