Is this greedy?

[Saint Monica]

Do 1/2 to the pay and 1/2 to the donation one.

[jlt19]

The reason I didn't donate to a milk bank is b/c they charged about $6/oz. I know it's costs money to do all the screening and whatever and I know it was often picked up by insurance, but I wasn't ok with that price. I was giving away my milk for it to then cost $6 and ounce?

I did donate my milk though, to someone I met on FB through "eats on feets" or something. They took some risk in that they had to believe me when I said I was disease and drug free, but that was their risk, not mine.

I don't think selling it makes you bad either. People have garage sales all the time, but they could donate that stuff to people in need, yes? We don't call them greedy.

[katfco]

I like the half and half plan. I don't think it's greedy to want to make some money off it, but as someone who would have loved to have access to affordable breast milk for her kids, I would donate to the one that either gives it away or sells it at the lowest price.

[PeonyParty]

I don't think it's greedy. I would weigh out which was more of a hassle. How much money would you be making from it?
We used donated breastmilk for my daughter, but luckily from a friend of the family. That woman was exclusively BFing her daughter and pumping an extra 100 oz. a day. A DAY. She produced so much that she kept both her baby and mine exclusively in breast milk and donated the rest!

[soozy87]

Pumping is hard. Don't feel bad.

[malibu]

May 29, 2014 10:41:03 GMT -5 tators said:

Meh pumping is a shit done of work. I wouldn't feel bad.

Agreed.

[flamingeaux]

May 29, 2014 10:42:57 GMT -5 PeonyParty said:

I don't think it's greedy. I would weigh out which was more of a hassle. How much money would you be making from it?
We used donated breastmilk for my daughter, but luckily from a friend of the family. That woman was exclusively BFing her daughter and pumping an extra 100 oz. a day. A DAY. She produced so much that she kept both her baby and mine exclusively in breast milk and donated the rest!

Is it bad that this was my first thought.  

[PeonyParty]

May 29, 2014 10:51:18 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

May 29, 2014 10:42:57 GMT -5 PeonyParty said:

I don't think it's greedy. I would weigh out which was more of a hassle. How much money would you be making from it?
We used donated breastmilk for my daughter, but luckily from a friend of the family. That woman was exclusively BFing her daughter and pumping an extra 100 oz. a day. A DAY. She produced so much that she kept both her baby and mine exclusively in breast milk and donated the rest!

Whoa, how did that happen?

No clue, but her fridge/freezer was full and she has two deep freezes in the garage full of milk. It was insanity. I was super jealous but also super grateful that she shared with us. She was a nurse, so she was rolling to the milk bank like every other day on her way into work.

[bornbaker]

I like the 1/2 and 1/2 plan!

[lilac05]

I had the same dilemma. I don't think it's greedy at all, I just wasn't sure what I would do. As it turns out, I think I have about 15 oz in my freezer, so it's a non-issue.

My friend who sells her to the coop sees it as a side job. It's no different than having a craft-making side job. It takes time and money to produce all of that milk. You can absolutely give it away, and that's very generous, but you can also get compensated for your efforts. I'm not sure if they provide bags, but those add up, as does all of the extra food to keep that kind of supply going! Then the extra trips to send the milk out, etc. Plus they're using it for research, trying to find ways to lower the price of breastmilk for other mothers to have. You can even choose to send all of your milk to the coop, but only get paid for half of it.

Also, you may only be able to sell/donate milk produced after the screening process. If so, then the decision is already made! Your current stash goes to someone on HM4HB or Eats on Feets or whatever informal milk exchange group you can find. The next 100 is donated to the coop & then you get paid for everything after that.

[Jalapeñomel]

This is a tough one for me. I looked into it briefly, but I think I can't do it because I drink.

I don't think you should bad either decision you make.

[CrazyLucky]

I just donated through the facebook group, human milk 4 human people or something like that. If I was hurting for money, I would have sold the milk no problem. But I wasn't, and it was an easy way to help someone. Don't feel bad if you end up selling.

[lilac05]

I think in many/most cases, if you want milk from a mother who has been carefully screened, yes, you will pay for the milk. I think some hospitals charge & others don't, but if you want it after a baby is out of the hospital, you'll probably have to pay. If you are comfortable trusting a mom to be safe/healthy/honest, there are many sites where women offer their milk for free, just to help others.

Someone needs to pay for the office, utilities, personnel, coordinating, etc. that all happens backstage at a milk bank.

[Deleted]

I was going to say I would feel gross selling something my body produced until I saw that the group you would be donating to then sells it. Which means either way it becomes commercialized. So I would either sell it or give it away on CL.

[mudslide]

Don't feel bad about selling it! I was planning to but my supply tanked from clogged ducts and I went through my whole stash.

[Jalapeñomel]

May 29, 2014 12:19:53 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

May 29, 2014 12:18:26 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

This is a tough one for me. I looked into it briefly, but I think I can't do it because I drink.

I don't think you should bad either decision you make.

The person I spoke with over the phone said that if you drink, you should wait 12 hours before pumping.

Yeah, I'm certain I did not do this.

[mudslide]

May 29, 2014 14:59:24 GMT -5 mekiakoo said:

May 29, 2014 12:57:11 GMT -5 mudslide said:

Don't feel bad about selling it! I was planning to but my supply tanked from clogged ducts and I went through my whole stash.

How much of a stash did you have? I'm nervous about giving away my milk then have my supply tank.

I had about 70 oz. that was about 4-5 days worth for T at the time.