Request Milk

Donor milk is free of charge. This is possible by virtue of so many incredibly generous donors of milk, time, and skill. Nevertheless, monetary contributions are greatly appreciated to help cover the costs of required blood tests, about $100 per donor. Tax deductible contributions can be made payable to Madison Area Donor Milk Alliance, Inc. and mailed to MADMA Treasurer, 34 Waubesa Street, Madison, WI 53704. We also happily accept contributions of milk collection bags. Preferred brands are Medela, Lasinoh, and Target.

Donor milk is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis with priority given to the youngest or sickest children living in Dane County, Wisconsin. In general, we reserve donor milk for babies 6 months and younger. Exceptions have been made to this policy based on family circumstance, health status of the child receiving milk, and MADMA's milk supply. Each request is individually addressed by MADMA and accompanied by breastfeeding counseling and referrals as indicated.

If a family has long-term needs, MADMA most likely will not be able to provide 100% of a child’s nutritional needs. MADMA's supply and demand vary greatly. We suggest exploring other sources of mother's milk through social, work and community circles. We have seen outpourings of willing donors and freezers full of unused milk, when personal connections are appealed to this way. MADMA is always happy to help facilitate direct exchanges through health screenings and the use of MADMA documents.

MADMA does not have the resources to provide babies with 100% of their nutritional needs. Our goal is to provide a bridge of time and milk while families troubleshoot breastfeeding challenges or augment resources to meet their needs. We can help counsel and refer families regarding options and how best to meet these needs.

Madison Area Donor Milk Alliance reserves donor milk for families in Dane County. However, exceptions are made on a case by case basis when milk supply can accommodate the request.

Please refer to the chart on our Milk Handling Guidelines for average daily total intake. Remember, these are just averages, and a baby's whole picture will be the best guide. For those who are breastfeeding, we strongly encourage working with a local lactation consultant to help determine appropriate weight gain and work toward resolution of supply issues. We can provide referrals to high quality community resources.

With rare exceptions, our policy is to provide donor milk after birth only, in order to prevent compromising a mother’s confidence in establishing her own supply and to promote quality lactation support. We do encourage and can help identify lactation-promoting practices and resources before birth. We welcome you or a family member to call us at the first sign of an evidenced need for supplementation, whether in hospital or at home.

The composition of colostrum and breastmilk changes from day-to-day and feeding-to-feeding. Normal breastmilk can appear thin and blue or thick and yellow. There is also natural variation in color due to maternal diet. Diets rich in leafy greens, for example, can cast a greenish hue to milk. Beta carotene-rich foods can cause milk to appear orange, and certain vitamin supplementation can cause it to appear green-yellow.

Some mothers produce milk with a higher amount of lipase, a naturally occurring enzyme present in all milk that helps break down fats into free fatty acids. It is unknown why some mothers produce more lipase, but this milk is not considered harmful. It is only an issue when milk is exposed to the air through pumping and handling. High lipase milk can smell soapy or sour when thawed. Most babies do not mind the taste. If high lipase milk is noted and your infant rejects it, MADMA will replace it with milk from a different donor.

Yes! MADMA is committed to providing donor milk for all Dane County babies in need, with priority given to the youngest and/or sickest children. MADMA will not be able to meet 100% of an adopted child’s nutritional needs. MADMA can also point adoptive parents to resources dedicated to inducing lactation if adoptive parents are hoping to breastfeed.