how we turn donor breast milk into your baby’s next feeding

If you’ve ever wondered: “How does Leche's donor breast milk actually become that little sachet?” You’re not alone. Because when it comes to your baby, you want to know:

• Where it came from
• How it was handled
• And that every step was done right

At It's My Leche, we’ve built a process that’s both:
👉 deeply scientific
👉 and designed for real-life trust

Here’s exactly how it works.

step 1: it starts with a mom

Every sachet begins with a donor through Leche's donor program, MilkDrop. Before donating, every mom completes:

• Health + lifestyle screening
• Blood testing (HIV, Hep B & C, HTLV, STIs)
• Drug screening (8-panel)
• Nicotine + alcohol testing

Only fully-qualified donors are approved. From there, milk is shipped frozen to our facility using our proprietary temperature-controlled packaging.

step 2: we test the milk before anything happens

Before we even think about processing, every donor kit is tested. We check for:

• Bacterial levels (APC)
• Contaminants like E. coli
• Bacillus cereus (a key safety marker)
• Nutritional composition (fat, protein, carbs via a Miris analyzer)

If it doesn’t meet our standards? It doesn’t move forward. No exceptions.

step 3: gentle pasteurization (the gold standard)

Next, we use holder vat pasteurization. This is the same method trusted by human milk banks. Why it matters:

• Eliminates harmful bacteria + viruses
• Preserves important components like:
  • Antibodies (sIgA)
  • Lactoferrin
  • HMOs (prebiotics)
  • Growth factors

Some processes use higher heat that can strip away more of what makes breast milk special. We’ve chosen balance: Safety + preservation, not one at the expense of the other.

step 4: independent third-party testing

After pasteurization, we add another layer of protection: Every lot is sent to independent labs to test for:

• Salmonella
• Cronobacter (a key concern in infant products)

Nothing moves forward until it passes. Because for us, safety isn’t internal—it’s verified.

step 5: freeze-drying (what makes Leche different)

This is where things get really unique. Instead of high-heat drying (like formula), we use freeze-drying.

This process:

• Removes water at low temperatures
• Preserves nutrients + bioactive compounds
• Creates a powder that’s:
  • Shelf-stable
  • Easy to use
  • Ready in seconds

The result? Real human milk—just made more flexible.

step 6: packaging + final review

Once freeze-dried, the milk is:

• Milled into a fine powder
• Packaged into individual sachets
• Fully traceable by lot

Before anything ships, each lot goes through a final safety review

The entire process takes about two weeks, because we don’t rush something this important.

why this process matters

There’s a difference between:

• “Safe enough”
• And built-for-babies safe

We live in that difference. Every step exists to:

• Protect your baby
• Preserve what makes breast milk unique
• Give you confidence in what you’re feeding

We chose:

• Gentle pasteurization (to protect nutrients)
• Independent testing (to confirm safety)
• In-house production (to stay accountable)

Because your baby deserves nothing less.

what this means for your feeding journey

Whether you’re:

• Supplementing
• Combo feeding
• Traveling
• Planning ahead

Leche makes it possible to:
👉 Access real human milk
👉 In a format that actually works for your life

No thawing. No stress. No compromise on what matters.

the bottom line

Behind every sachet is:

• A screened donor
• Multiple layers of testing
• Careful processing
• Independent verification

And a team that treats your baby’s milk with the same care you would. That’s the standard at Leche.

explore more

💛 Want to learn more or get started?

• Shop human milk options at It's My Leche
• Explore donor access through MilkDrop