Transporting breastmilk

[tafipiri]

I have a question about transporting breastmilk. I have a six-month old baby and have been breastfeeding since he was born. I have also been expressing and freezing extra breastmilk each night (some of which I've been using when we are out and about, but some of which is still stored in our home freezer).

My family is about to make an international move within Europe and I was wondering if you have any guidance about ways to transport this frozen breastmilk safely. I have contacted both FedEx and DHL and they say they won't do it.

I'd prefer to be able to keep this milk for my baby as it seems such a shame to throw it away. But if comes to it, if anyone knows of a way to donate it, I'd also welcome advice on how to do that.

Many thanks!

[etta166]

You can transport it on dry ice. DHL and FedEx do laboratory shipments on dry ice, so I'd try them again without saying its breast milk.

[Polly73]

You can donate to the Kings College Hospital milk bank - you have to have a blood test which is annoying, but it is v much needed and they will send a courier to pick it up.

020 3299 9303

[Jellybeanz]

King's always need milk for premature babies and other vulnerable babies :) worthwhile cause and lot less hassle than couriering!!

[motorbird83]

Agree-- I would really encourage you to consider this as breast milk's impact on premature babies is much more significant than healthy full-term babies :)

Jellybeanz Wrote:

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> King's always need milk for premature babies and

> other vulnerable babies :) worthwhile cause and

> lot less hassle than couriering!!

[etta166]

The King's College Milk Bank has quite strict rules about how long the milk has been stored and also how it is labelled. I donated and also expressed for my own babies, and they weren't able to take the surplus when I stopped breastfeeding. I can't remember exactly how long they allowed it to be stored for though.

I think that there are other, less stringent milk banks that you can donate to as well. There was another thread about it a while ago.

[tafipiri]

Thanks to all for the helpful advice!

[newtoedf]

I think the Kings milk bank also use it for research. I had some surplus I donated and was told it wasn't enough to be worth all the testing necessary for giving it to preemies but it would be used for research purposes. So probably still worth contacting them.