Looking for Pasteurized Donor Human Milk for your baby?
Why use pasteurized donor milk?
There are many reasons why an infant may need pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM). Certain conditions related to prematurity or other medical issues such as malabsorption or gastrointestinal disorders, formula allergies, or congenital anomalies are some situations when a baby can greatly benefit from the nutritional and immunologic support of donor human milk.
Sometimes a small amount of supplementation may be required for healthy babies as mothers’ milk supply increases or as the mother and baby work to establish feeding. Using donor milk as a bridge until issues are resolved may be helpful until feeding is on track. Up to 40oz/10 bottles of PDHM can be purchased without a prescription. This amount, 5-10 bottles, is ideal when used as a bridge for short-term needs. In line with our mission, pasteurized donor milk is available to the most medically vulnerable or fragile babies. How PDHM is dispensed are outlined below. The priorities are listed in order.
Priorities for Pasteurized Donor Milk Recipients:
- Preterm or hospitalized infants with medical conditions who receive donor milk in the hospital that is used according to hospital guidelines.
- Infants receiving prescription formulas for specific health conditions. Prescriptions are required for more than 40oz/10 bottles per baby.
- Infants with medical needs who need donor milk after discharge from the hospital. Prescriptions are required for more than 40oz/10 bottles per baby.
- Newborn infants who need a short-term supplement as a bridge until their mother’s milk supply increases. Usually, 5-10 bottles are used for this purpose. Contact a distribution site below to purchase up to 40oz/10 bottles of donor milk per baby.*
- If available once the above priorities are met, infants who need a short-term emergency supply of donor milk due to formula unavailability. Contact a distribution site below to purchase up to 40oz/10bottles of donor milk per baby.
In order to meet inpatient hospital needs, referrals to partner HMBANA milk banks may be made for outpatient requests.
*For those needing financial assistance with bridge milk NorthPoint Health & Wellness Food Pantry has a limited amount of bridge milk available for families of newborns who are intending to breastfeed. See Bridge Bags for more information and complete the Food-Shelf-Enrollment-Form-2021.pdf (northpointhealth.org). Visit the NorthPoint site link for information on hours and location.
Resources for assistance with breastfeeding:
- Family Resources for Breastfeeding Support — Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition (mnbreastfeedingcoalition.org).
- Baby Café Locations – Baby Café USA (babycafeusa.org) – Search by zip code, city, or state for locations of free, drop-in, breastfeeding support groups with trained lactation care.
Where you can get PDHM
Distribution sites have pasteurized donor human milk available for purchase after discharge from hospitals or maternity centers. See the map for locations and the list below for details about hours of operation and requirements. Donor milk is available in 4oz./120ml frozen bottles. Cost and number of bottles dispensed varies somewhat by site. Requests of more than 40oz of milk requires a prescription from the mother’s or baby’s provider. A template for a provider prescription is available which your provider can use or have as guidance for completing their own script. Getting a copy of the script for yourself can be very helpful since it allows you to go to any distribution site. Currently, sites are unable to submit for insurance reimbursement. Please contact your insurance company to see what coverage is offered. Requests that are greater than 40oz. can be referred to the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies Golden Valley site.
Donor milk for outpatients is dependent upon availability and hospitalized infants are given priority.
To pick up at the MMBB Golden Valley site, please complete the Outpatient Pasteurized Donor Human Milk Interest Form. After submitting this form, we will contact you by phone and/or text. Texting is an effective way to contact those interested in receiving donor milk. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to be contacted by text. When receiving a text from MMBB, you may opt out by replying STOP at any time. Texting HELP indicates a request for assistance.
Allina Health St. Francis Outpatient Pharmacy
1455 St Francis Ave, Suite 100
Shakopee, MN 55379
952-428-5100
Monday – Friday, 8am – 6pm, Saturday/Sunday, 9am – 2pm *Closed on some holidays
No appointment necessary, ground floor, walk-in during business hours.
Prescription required for more than 10 bottles.
Fairview Specialty Pharmacy
711 Kasota Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-672-5237
Monday – Friday, 8am – 4pm
Prescription required for more than 10 bottles
- Next-day home delivery for no fee available Tuesday-Friday for orders received Monday-Thursday.
- Orders received on Friday or Saturday are delivered on Monday.
- Pick-up at Kasota site available Monday-Friday, 8am – 4pm.
- Call for information about emergency requests. Call center available M-F, 8am – 7pm & Sat, 8am – 4pm.
Methodist Hospital Breastfeeding Center
Health & Care Store
3931 Louisiana South
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
952-993-3121 (answering machine only for messages)
Monday-Friday, 8am – 5pm, Saturdays (temporarily closed until further notice)
No appointment necessary, ground floor, walk-in during business hours
Prescription required for all purchases.
- Printed script needed from non-Methodist patients.
- Limit of up to 10 bottles/day, 20 bottles/week. Larger requests are usually referred to the Milk Bank.
Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies
2525 Nevada Avenue North, Suite 304
Golden Valley, MN 55427
763-546-8051
Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm
By appointment only. Prescription required for more than 10 bottles. Orders for less than 10 bottles are usually referred to the distribution sites above.
Nitamising Gimashkikinaan – Division of Indian Work
1001 E Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55407
651-325-9267
Monday – Friday, 11am – 3:00pm, call for availability and appointment.
No prescription required – reserved for Indigenous and Latinx families with a newborn under 6 weeks as a temporary bridge for parents experiencing low milk supply and financial need. Nitamising Gimashkikinaan enrollment is required. See Bridge Bags for more details.
NorthPoint Health & Wellness Food Shelf
For those seeking financial assistance for bridge milk. See Bridge Bags for more details.
1835 Penn Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55411
612-767-9500
Monday – Thursday, 10am – 4pm. Fridays, call for availability and appointment.
No prescription required – limit on number of bottles dispensed.
Food shelf enrollment required. See NPFS Enrollment Form.
Twin Cities Birth Center
(formerly Health Foundations)
968 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105
651-895-2520
Monday – Friday, 8am – 4pm
No prescription required – limit on number of bottles dispensed, appointment only