Milk sharing is the formal and informal sharing of milk either through a milk bank or peer-to-peer.

Milk sharing has been a part of human history nearly since life began. Our ancestors breastfed each other’s children when the mother wasn’t available. More problematic milk sharing occurred in human history when wet nurses were employed or enslaved to breastfeed the infants of the upper classes, often to the detriment of their own children. The expression of breastmilk either to share with others or for your own infant has a long history as well. In 2026, we have several ethical options for obtaining breastmilk when we are unable to produce milk on our own.

Milk banks are often associated with hospitals and hospital NICUs and serve the most vulnerable babies. Donated milk is carefully pasteurized before being given to premature infants. Learn more about the Minnesota Milk Bank.

Informal or peer-to-peer milk sharing in our times is often done between friends and neighbors: a mother has an excess of pumped milk and shares it with a friend who has a need. There are several social media forums now that help moms find donors and recipients. Several cities in the U.S. now have milk alliances that help ease the burden of finding milk.