• Are in good general health
  
• Have more breast milk than you need for your own baby. We ask that each donor donates at least 4.2 litres (150 ounces) of milk over a period of time. This helps to cover the costs of screening.
  
• Are bereaved. We accept any amount of appropriately stored milk from bereaved donors, assuming they have completed the screening process. You can learn more by reading our lactation after loss (PDF) pamphlet.
  
• Are willing to have a blood test to rule out certain diseases.
  
• Are not taking certain medications, including antidepressants and galactagogues (medications that increase milk production). Progestin-only birth control pills, thyroid replacement hormones, human insulin, prenatal vitamins, iron or calcium, and other medications are acceptable (check with the Milk Bank in advance).
  
• Live in Canada 
• Can drop off your milk at BC Women’s Hospital or a milk collection depot, or pay to have your milk couriered to the hospital. Please check with the Provincial Milk Bank as there are areas of BC where shipping may be covered.
  

• After you make a donor enquiry, a screening nurse will contact you by phone or in-person.
  
• If the screening nurse identifies no issues, BC Women’s Hospital will send a set of screening forms to you by email, mail or fax. These forms include a medical history sheet, consent to contact your primary care health care provider, information on blood screening and an agreement to donate. 
• After you return the forms, our team will review ​them, then contact your primary health care provider to order blood work. You can do this at a local community blood lab, the cost of which is covered by the Provincial Health Plan.
  
• Once we receive results, the Provincial Milk Bank will contact you. 

Milk Bank collection depots

• About the Provincial Milk Bank
• How to access donor milk
  
• Collecting and storing milk
  
• Why donate
  
• How to become a donor
  
• Grateful patient story – Wilder and Lucy
  

• ​Donor expression of interest form
  

• ​Prospective donor information (PDF)
  
• How to collect and store milk for donation (PDF)
  
• Lactation after loss (PDF)
  
• Recipient parent handout (PDF)
  
• Milk bank prescription form (PDF)
  
• Fax cover sheet – getting donor milk post-discharge (PDF)
  
• Getting donor milk after leaving the hospital​ (PDF)