World Human Milk Donation Day 2017

Date of Event: 19/05/2017 | -

Throughout the world of human milk banking, May 19^th is ‘World Breastmilk Donation Day’. Milk banks acknowledge daily the gift of human milk without which they would not function but on this date we especially celebrate the unique donation that breastfeeding mothers make to other mothers and their premature and sick babies.  This special day started in Brazil and has spread to many milk banking countries throughout the world. Milk banks celebrate by arranging events for donors such as coffee mornings, lunches and picnics but here are some additional ideas for marking the day:

• Link up with a milk bank from another country and hold a tandem event at the same ‘time’ eg 10am for coffee and cake in Eastern North America and 3.00pm for tea and scones in England
• Hold a spring picnic (autumn if you’re in the Southern Hemishere)
• Design and print a special World Human Milk Donation Day’ thank you card to send by post or by email to all of the mothers (and their families) who have donated milk since the previous May 19^th
• Contribute to the EMBA special WHMDD global newsletter with news from your milk bank (past, present and future) – please send news and any articles about past events to weaver@yahoo.com
• Hold a milk bank open day if you have the space and capability to offer such a visit – if not make it a virtual open day with a simple mobile phone video that takes them through the journey their milk makes once it reaches the milk bank
• Reach out to past donors from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s – get their stories of donating milk when their children were in their infancy.

Don’t forget to let us know about any events you organize – we would love to see photos (please make sure you have written consent for their use on the EMBA website)  and hear about how you celebrate this special date.