Gathered Resources | Where to Find Donor Milk in the Twin Cities
When you’re so obsessed with birth that your passion becomes a bona fide profession, one result is the many hours spent thoughtfully researching the ins and outs of all things fertility, gestation, birth, and postpartum. That’s certainly true for each co-founder of Gather Birth! From local providers who excel at caring for families expecting multiples to resources available to parents looking to improve their pelvic floor wellness, we could fill a birthy encyclopedia with recommended experts in our local community and tips on when their services may be most helpful to you. That’s why we’re introducing a brand new series: Gathered Resources.
We are so fortunate to live and work in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, where there are incredible pros to reach out to whenever support is needed. One of our goals at Gather is to connect you with this robust community so you don’t have to look too far for help! This week, we’re here to share the tried and true resources we’ve collected to help you navigate finding human milk for your baby. Whether you need to supplement for a short while or you have longterm needs, we’re optimistic this post will help.
We’ve worked years serving new families in the Twin Cities, built countless relationships with providers spanning birth and birth-adjacent fields, and cannot wait to share with you all the insights and impressions we’ve gleaned.
Here are a few informational posts regarding the sharing of breastmilk: evidence-based information for safe breastmilk sharing, milk donation and sharing (gendered language), and a milk sharing FAQ.
Informal or person-to-person milk sharing in the Twin Cities
Informal or “lay” milk sharing is a practice that’s old as time. You’ll want to screen your donor to ensure that their milk is safe for your baby’s particular needs by asking questions about their diet, coffee intake, and medications. Rarely is monetary compensation requested — in fact, many groups forbid it. That said, the exchange of replacement bags is often requested. The milk you’ll find in one of these sharing groups is usually frozen but not pasteurized.
Here are the groups that are most active:
Your favorite doulas may be able to connect you with a lactating parent who has a surplus available for you as well!
If you have extra milk, you may choose to milk share via the groups above or become a milk donor for a HMBANA milk bank.
Milk banks in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding suburbs
If you are unable to find free donor milk from a local nursing parent or you prefer the security of purchasing milk from a milk bank, all human milk from these HMBANA Milk Banks is pasteurized and tested prior to distribution. Pasteurization is used to kill any viruses and bacteria that may be present. The milk comes from healthy nursing parents who donate their milk for this sole purpose, and all donors are screened and must meet HMBANA’s strict donation standards.
You can find donor human milk available for sale at these locations:
No prescription required
Up to 4 bottles
Call ahead to order
Appointment required
Methodist Hospital’s Health & Care Store
Ground floor, Suite G-180, 3931 Building
3931 Louisiana Ave, St. Louis Park, MN
Phone: 952-993-5000
Prescription required
Up to 20 bottles
No appointment needed
Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies
2525 Nevada Ave N, Suite 304
Golden Valley, MN 55427
Phone: 763-546-8051
Prescription required
10 bottle minimum
Call ahead to order
Up to 10 bottles without prescription
Up to 25 bottles with prescription
Call ahead to order
Cash only
Wholesome Empowerment Lactation Services
11 East Veterans Memorial Highway Suite 102
Kasson, MN 55944
Phone: 507-405-4603
No prescription required
Limit on number of bottles dispensed
Call ahead to order
Appointment required
We hope these resources we’ve gathered serve you well as you navigate pregnancy, birth, and beyond. We’ve also filled our website with additional educational content if you’re interested in learning about the Gather co-founders, reading about birth-related topics, or seeing wonderful birth photos. Stay tuned for more Gathered Resources topics spanning the niche to the more commonplace, and know that we always welcome a conversation about the folks and services that have helped your own family thrive!
Huge thanks to Baby Whisperer Lactation Consultants, LLC (612-750-5535) for her help in compiling this wonderful resource for families seeking human milk in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding areas of the Twin Cities.