Talk about mommy’s doing it for themselves! As the only paid milk donor program in the entire US, the Mother’s Milk Cooperative offers a program called “Milk Money” to offer nursing moms the chance to work from home. Co-Op CEO Adrianne Weir shares the one of the reasons behind the vision, “Too many women have no other choice but to return to work early after the birth of their babies. Whether Milk Money helps cover diaper expenses, a date night, or starts a college fund; for many young families a little extra money can go a long way.” Donating mother’s in the Milk Money program are compensated $1 an ounce. And once a mother becomes a donor, she also becomes a part-owner and voting member (essentially a stockholder) of the Co-Op, making it the first milk bank to be owned and controlled by nursing mothers.

There’s another program called “Pay It Forward” where mother’s can donate their breast milk for free so that it can be given to babies in need. The Co-Op’s mission is to increase breast milk donation to aid in the current shortage of breast milk for use in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) around the world, which could mean the difference between life and death for some premature infants. A small portion of the donated milk is sold as to raise funds to continue the program. All potential donors are stringently screened through a blood test, complete medical history, and milk screening and testing.

All in all, it’s an interesting concept that’s sure to gain some ground as more moms decide to nurse.

So, what do you think? Great idea or too much?