We all know the importance of breastfeeding for newborn babies, but very few would know that selling breast milk is an excellent way to make some good money on the side.
It may sound strange and unconventional, but it’s true.
Over the last few years, selling breast milk has been on the rise, especially in developed countries like the US and the UK. The developing countries are showing the same trends.
People do buy and sell breast milk over the internet.
The idea is simple. Lactating women produce milk, and very often, the milk is more in quantity than their baby can consume. In most cases, this extra milk goes wasted.
Storing it and selling it to new parents through specialist agencies is an excellent concept. The selling parents get the money, the buyer parents get a nutritious supply for the babies, and the agencies keep their commission.
Are you fascinated by the idea? Let’s go deeper!
Why Would People Buy Or Sell Breast Milk?
Many women cannot breastfeed their babies properly.
The reasons vary. Some mothers cannot produce enough to keep their baby satisfied, while for others, the milk never flows out adequately.
For many women, who have enough milk, the process may be painful. It can be time-consuming and stressful, especially if the baby does not latch on well.
Things like physical disabilities, mouth deformities, extreme colic, and other issues make it almost impossible to breastfeed the babies.
Many women have hectic work schedules that make it difficult to breastfeed.
So you see, there could be many reasons why mothers are unable to breastfeed appropriately.
However, the fact is, if mothers struggle to breastfeed enough, the supply eventually stops. Even regular pumping cannot maintain the supply for long.
Regardless of the condition that mom or baby might have, parents still want to keep their babies on breast milk.
After all, doctors call breast milk as LIQUID GOLD. It has many essential nutrients and antibodies not found anywhere else.
Now let’s see the other side of it. Why do people sell breast milk?
Some mothers overproduce. Even after the baby is well fed, they still have leftovers. There is no point in wasting excess milk. So, how about helping the mothers who desperately need it?
This way, the mother who overproduces helps other needful parents, and in return, earns a healthy side income that would help bring up her baby.
Is Selling Breast Milk Legal?
You’re probably wondering if any state regulations restrict you from buying or selling breast milk.
As of now (Sep 2020), there are no state or federal laws that prohibit the purchase or sale of breast milk.
However, if you sell breast milk to a bank, there may be regulations regarding the handling, storing, or freezing it.
So, it’s completely legal to buy or sell breast milk. People are doing it offline at the milk banks or online through dedicated websites.
Many groups and individual pages on Facebook encourage the donation or sale of breast milk.
I believe selling breast milk is not much different than donating sperm, eggs, or even blood to people in need.
How Much Can You Make Selling Breast Milk?
On average, you can sell your breast milk anywhere between $2 and $2.50. Sometimes, this number can be even higher.
The average baby drinks about 25 ounces of breast milk every day, and some babies drink even more.
So, if you charge $2.50, in a week, you can make around $450, and that comes out to be over $1,800 every month.
That is an ideal scenario but may not happen most of the times.
Don’t forget the cost of shipping. To keep the milk fresh, you must ship it in a cooler with dry ice, which will cost more for shipping than a small envelope or box.
Lastly, the money you make from selling your milk is taxable, so you must maintain all the records.
In short, selling breast milk won’t make you big money, but it can be an excellent way to earn extra money. And that’s why you are reading this article. Correct?
Sell Breast Milk Online
If you produce breast milk that’s more than what your baby’s needs, then you can sell that online, and it’s totally legal to do so.
If you avoid smoking, drinking, or taking any prohibited drug and you and your baby in good health, then you become a suitable candidate for selling breast milk online.
However, make sure you follow the best safety practices for collecting and storing your milk.
Never forget, your breast milk goes to other babies whose moms depend on you to provide healthy and nutritious milk for their babies.
Only The Breast
This website is a classified site where people place ads. However, the company restricts the ads only to sell breast milk.
We can say it is like Craigslist. But unlike Craigslist, it’s pretty much scam proof.
Only the Breast has several procedures in place that women should adhere to before selling breast milk.
These procedures are not mandatory, but for a buyer, it is an essential part, and he can cross-check if all the steps get followed before buying the milk.
That also becomes the selling point of your ads. The ads can showcase all the safety measures taken during the collection, storage, and transportation process.
That makes it easier for you to get the buyers.
Most of the women take the screening test done from AccesaLabs.
On request, the company ships you the test kit, you take it to a local lab and get the results back in just a few days. The kit costs around $250.
The kit confirms that your breast milk is free from viruses like HIV and Hepatitis and is safe for other infants. Once the test goes ok, you get set to sell.
You also require pasteurization of the milk as otherwise, the milk can contain some bacteria.
While shipping, all the needful precautions must be in place. Always use a cooler with dry ice and mark it with “Human Milk.” Only a trusted transport agency specialized for these types of carrying advised.
It sounds a lot, but every time you do that, you become more trustworthy to buyers, and that helps you sell breast milk faster.
Breastfeeding Moms Unite
Similar to Only The Breast, this is another online classifieds site for moms who want to sell their breast milk to other moms.
Though the site is not as popular as Only The Breast, it could be an addon place to get more listings.
The site has useful guidelines for women, including detailed instructions for pumping and storing breast milk.
You have a choice to restrict the men from responding to your ads, a great option, and might be useful if you prefer that only women who need the milk for their babies should only get it.
The company offers different packages for ad placement.
You can buy a $20 ad package for a 90-day listing. A little more qualifies you for the lifetime listing.
You can also have a top-up for a small amount to get a featured listing that helps your ads stand out from others.
Sell Breast Milk To Milk Banks
If you want to avoid all the procedures involved with placing the ads and find the buyers, selling it to a milk bank can be a good option.
Giving breast milk to banks is more of a donation where milk banks compensate donors for their gracious time.
It’s like donating blood plasma, where centers pay you for the time you spend as the process can take an hour or more.
Pumping and storing breast milk can be time-consuming, and many donation centers understand that and pay you for your courteous effort.
You won’t make as much money doing it this way, but it can save you time finding the buyers online.
Mothers Milk Cooperative
Mothers Milk Cooperative pays you about $1 an ounce.
You’ll get your money via direct deposit within 90 days after the MMC receives your milk.
During this time, MMC has a procedure in place to test your breast milk, using its technology to make sure it’s in good shape before being sent to someone in need.
Before donation, you must take the screening. MMC will send you a blood test kit that you can take to your local lab for testing. Once MMC receives the results, and if they find you in good health, you can start donating.
Like other companies, MMC also has strict procedures in place for expressing and shipping your breast milk, so make sure you read all the guidelines.
Tiny Treasures Milk Bank
Tiny Treasures Milk Bank is another bank that pays you $1 per ounce.
This bank operates through Prolacta Bioscience. Prolacta also pays for all of your expenses, including the shipping fees, any tests, etc.
You must go through a strict screening process before you qualify to donate.
Helping Hands Milk Bank
Helping Hands Milk Bank is another center that goes through Prolacta Bioscience.
The bank also donates to the Susan G. Komen fund for breast cancer awareness.
So you not only get paid but contribute to a cause that can help the futures of both moms and their babies.
You’ll receive a check within six weeks of approval on your breast milk.
Beware Of Scams When Selling Breast Milk
If you opt to sell breast milk in places like Craigslist or Social Media, you must watch out for scams.
I highly suggest not going through Craigslist. Craigslist is full of scams, and sellers don’t have any protections. Craigslist and other similar sites are excellent regular stuff but definitely not breast milk.
If someone claims that you gave them contaminated milk, you don’t have any protection if they bring you to court.
Selling here can make you some extra bucks but can also bring you trouble.
Even Social Media is not safe from scammers.
There will be some potential buyers who will suddenly cancel their orders after you’ve prepared everything for shipping.
Be careful when dealing with these people, and do your due diligence.
Better options are selling your milk online using trusted websites or milk banks.
Using these methods, you’ll have some protections in place.
In Conclusion
All mothers want the best for their babies, but for various reasons, they may not breastfeed even if they wish to.
When this happens, you come into the picture by extending your helping hand. If you overproduce, why not give to a mother who needs it?
This way, you can feel good knowing that your excess milk doesn’t go wasted and reach someone who needs it for her baby.
If you are short on cash, then selling your breast is an excellent choice. Honestly, it’s a good and fair way for mom to make some extra money.
If you want to skip the marketplace altogether? You can donate breast milk at the National Milk Bank or the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.
It’s a win-win situation for everyone!
That’s it from me. If you have experienced selling breast milk, share it. How well did it go, and how much did you make?
If you have questions, please feel free to reach out. I am glad to answer your queries.
Best of luck!
