How to donate breast milk in Singapore: who qualifies, the KKH milk bank steps and where milk goes

To donate breast milk in Singapore, you go through the KK Human Milk Bank at KKH, which describes itself as Singapore's first and only human milk bank. You can donate if your baby is under one year old, you're healthy, you don't smoke or drink alcohol, and you pass a health questionnaire and a free blood test for HIV, hepatitis and syphilis. Donors are unpaid and anonymous, and you freeze your milk at home following KKH's instructions, then drop it into a 24-hour freezer locker at KKH after arranging it with the team. The milk is screened, pasteurised and given on prescription to premature and sick babies whose mothers don't have enough milk. To start, call the milk bank on 6394 1986 or email milkbank@kkh.com.sg.

Who can donate breast milk at KKH

KKH's milk bank page and FAQ set out the rules. This table puts them side by side.

Taking medicine or herbal remedies doesn't rule you out automatically. KKH says you may still be eligible and asks you to call the milk bank to check. If you can't donate, KKH adds that in most cases you can still feed your own baby.

How to donate breast milk, step by step

KKH explains the age cut-off: breast milk changes over time, and the babies who receive it are newborns. A KKH donor story from 2022 says courier pick-ups are no longer offered to new donors, so plan on bringing the milk in yourself or asking a family member.

Our guide to pumping and storing breast milk covers expressing, freezer times and bags, and KKH's own leaflet takes priority for donated milk.

What happens to your donated milk

At the milk bank, KKH says your milk is tested for bacteria and contamination, then pasteurised to destroy harmful organisms. It's screened, processed and given out on prescription following guidelines adapted from the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

Once you've donated, the milk isn't returned. If it's found unsuitable, the milk bank disposes of it. If one of your blood tests comes back positive, KKH says it must notify the relevant authorities as the law requires. Tell the milk bank if your health changes while you're donating.

Which babies receive donor milk

KKH gives pasteurised donor human milk on prescription to:

• Premature babies born before 35 weeks
• Babies with qualifying medical conditions such as congenital heart disease, gut disease or brain injury
• Babies on compassionate grounds whose own mother's milk isn't available, such as adopted babies or babies whose mother has died

Parents need a doctor's referral letter explaining why donor milk is being requested. Donor milk is chargeable, to cover the cost of making it safe, and KKH runs the milk bank on a non-profit model. Donors' details are never given to recipients.

KKH says formula puts more strain on a premature baby's immature gut, and that donor milk helps protect against necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a serious bowel disease. After the milk bank opened in August 2017, KKH reported that NEC among its very low birth weight babies fell from 5.8% to no cases in 2018. By June 2024 more than 1,200 donors had given over 15,000 litres, and the milk bank was taking on about five new recipients a day.

What about sharing milk informally?

Some mums with a big freezer stash offer it to friends or online groups. KKH's milk bank is the only screened route in Singapore, and no Singapore health page sets rules on informal sharing. The US Food and Drug Administration advises against feeding babies milk bought or obtained directly from individuals or online. It says such donors are unlikely to have been properly screened for infections, medicines, drug use or contamination.

If you have more milk than your baby needs, the safest way to help another family is through the milk bank. If you're trying to manage an oversupply, our guide to breastfeeding and milk supply explains how supply works, and breastfeeding support in Singapore lists lactation help.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get paid for donating breast milk in Singapore?

No. KKH says donation is voluntary and donors aren't paid, partly so that mothers don't hold milk back from their own babies for money, and donors stay anonymous.

How long can I keep donating?

Until your baby turns one. You need to pass the health questionnaire and blood test every three months while you donate.

Do I have to pay for the blood tests?

No. KKH says the screening blood tests are free, and you can see your results in the HealthHub app.

Can I donate milk I already have in the freezer?

KKH's FAQ says frozen milk expressed up to two months before may be accepted, depending on the milk bank, as long as your baby was under one when you expressed it. Ask the team before you bring it in.

Can I donate if I take medicine?

Possibly. KKH says many mums on medicines or herbal remedies can still donate, and asks you to call 6394 1986 to check your case.

Can my baby get donor milk if I don't have enough?

KKH gives donor milk on a doctor's prescription to premature babies under 35 weeks, babies with certain medical conditions, and babies on compassionate grounds such as adoption. Ask your baby's doctor, and expect a charge, since KKH prices donor milk on a non-profit basis.