Two Journeys of Donating Milk to Help Others

Donating breast milk is more than just a generous act. It's a lifeline for babies who need it most. Whether you're a seasoned mom with an abundant supply or a grieving parent navigating loss, your donation can make a life-changing difference.

Two women from St. Joseph, Michaela Barrett and Andrea Piotter, recently donated milk to the milk depot at the CentraCare Plaza in St. Cloud. Though their paths to that moment were different, their actions were rooted in the same desire. They wanted to give hope and nourishment to babies in need.

Michaela's Story, Giving Back After the NICU

Michaela made her first breast milk donation in 2021, after her daughter Cianaleigh spent 23 days in the CentraCare - St. Cloud Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). During that time, her baby received some donor milk.

"I was given a flyer about the milk bank when we were in the hospital, but had tucked it away after we got home from the hospital," Michaela said. "I was able to feed my own baby and still produce 20 or more ounces of milk each day … it was quickly becoming an issue as I filled up a chest freezer and was on my way to filling a second.

Having more milk than she could handle, Michaela remembered she had a flier about milk donation.

"And, my journey began," she said. "I knew firsthand how important donor milk was for families like mine. It was something easy I could do. I had the extra milk."

Over the course of a year, Michaela donated 5,000 ounces of milk, enough to provide hundreds of feedings for fragile NICU babies. Just one ounce of breast milk can be a full feeding for a premature baby.

"It was an easy way to pay it forward," she continued. "Even before my second daughter arrived, I knew that I would want to do this again if I was still able to produce more than needed to feed her."

Today, with her youngest daughter, Zaralyn, a 5-month-old who was born healthy and didn't require NICU care, Michaela is donating again, but from a different place.

"If you're overproducing, it's such a simple way to help. I know from personal experience, there are babies who need that milk. I'm going to be pumping my milk anyway and providing for my baby … this is literally the extra."

While Michaela's gift was inspired by gratitude for the milk her oldest daughter received in the NICU, moms decide to give for many other reasons.

Andrea's Story, Sharing Milk Meant for Her Son

Andrea, also from St. Joseph, donated her milk the same day as Michaela, but under very different circumstances.

In June 2025, Andrea's infant son Alvin passed away at just 3 months old due to a rare mitochondrial disorder. Months earlier, she had visited the St. Cloud Baby Café, a free support group offering lactation help and resources for parents.

"I went to the April 8 St. Cloud Baby Café because it seemed like (Alvin's) diaper count was going down," Andrea recalled.

One of the unique benefits of the Baby Café is the ability to weigh your baby before and after nursing to monitor milk intake.

"In my situation, the lactation consultants were able to point out that he only got about 15 mL after nursing for about 20 minutes," she said. "That was a cue he was having some sort of issue."

That visit became a turning point. "If you're going to something like the Baby Café, you're able to gauge how your baby is growing. I used that as a resource to first indicate that something was off," Andrea said.

Alvin was eventually admitted to Children's Hospital, where he spent the final eight weeks of his life. It was there that Andrea first learned about milk donation and how it can help fragile infants.

"I met many other parents while I was there, some NICU families, some in the cardiovascular center. Just knowing I could donate some milk to provide hope for those families was pretty empowering," she said.

Rather than letting her stored milk go to waste, Andrea chose to donate it to help other babies in need.

"I wanted to do something with the milk," she said. "I couldn't do anything to save Alvin, but knowing that I could help potentially save or provide hope to another family is comforting."

Because Andrea was a one-time donor, her situation was handled a bit differently. Long-term donors typically must provide at least 125 ounces upon their first donation, but there is no minimum for bereaved donors. Andrea donated over 250 ounces, roughly six gallon-sized bags of milk.

Though Andrea and Michaela's journeys were different, both women found strength and meaning in donating milk.

How Milk Donation Works

CentraCare partners with the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies to provide milk depot locations at CentraCare Plaza, CentraCare - Monticello and CentraCare - Long Prairie.

These depots allow pre-screened donors to drop off their extra breast milk, which is then pasteurized and distributed to medically vulnerable infants, often those in NICUs across the state.

Donor milk isn't just helpful, it's lifesaving. Exclusive human milk feeding significantly reduces the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), one of the leading causes of death in premature infants.

"As an RN from the OB world, both in hospital and in clinic, I see the impact of milk donation, and gratitude for selfless parents who choose donation," said CentraCare outpatient lactation consultant Jeanne Friebe, RN, IBCLC, RNC-LRN. "Human milk for human babies is the most optimal healthy choice of nutrition for a baby. The donated breast milk is a bridge to achieve that until mom can hopefully produce more milk."

Interested in Becoming a Donor?

To begin the screening process (including a free blood test), contact the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies at info@mnmilkbank.org or 763-546-8051, and the Milk Bank staff will guide you through the screening process.