How do u feel about "milk sharing?"

Question

my friends baby recently got diagnosed as a failure to thrive.(mom was bresstfeeding) doc told her to supplement after every feeding with formula... baby is doing better.... not nursing as often and more bottles of formula. my friends firend just had a baby and has an over abundance of milk, and offered to give it to my friend for her baby. I told her she should stick with her milk, and formula like the doc orderd..... what do u think about milk sharing? i was a nursing mom, and i still think its gross! what do u think about it?

Answer 1

I know that a while ago women used to use wet nurses for their kids, but there is so much people can catch and you don't know what the other mother eats, drinks or ingests at all. I would NOT do it.

Answer 2

If I were in her shoes I'd probably just stick with formula, but I definitely do not think it is gross or abnormal.  It was very generous of the other mom to offer to give the extra milk away.

Answer 3

BACK IN THE OLDEN DAYS THE VILLAGE USED TO KEEP AT LEAST ONE MOTHER MILKING INCASE OF A MOTHER NOT PRODUCING MILK OR A MOTHER PASSING AWAY AT CHILD BIRTH..BUT THESE WE HAVE FORMULA TO SUPPLEMENT!!!! YUCK I SAY!! WHY WOULD SHE EVEN CONSIDER IT..

Answer 4

Personally I have the same feelings as you (and probably would opt to not do so) although there are actual milk banks where mothers who have an over-abundance of milk can actually donate their milk for those who are unable to nurse. That said, it appears to be a socially accepted practice so that as many babies as possible can get the good nutrients available in breastmilk. The important thing for your friend to know is that everything her friend is putting in her body is OK for breastfeeding (i.e. you woudn't want someone doing drugs to donate milk for your baby).

Answer 5

If your friend feels very strongly about feeding her child breast milk vs. formula then I would suggest researching a milk bank where everything is screened and tested.  It was very thoughtful and kind of her friend to offer sharing excess breast milk but without the proper precautions being taken, I'd probably pass.  I don't think it is gross for someone else, but I would personally choose formula.  It is very easy for women who share their passion for breastfeeding with us all to judge women who need to supplement for their choices, isn't it.    

Answer 6

Beats formula.

Your friend should get qualified nursing help, not some quack of a doctor, to help with feeding issues. A sick baby needs his mom's milk more, not less, and doctors are not qualified to assist in breastfeeding management.

And I'm not sure how it's more "gross" than getting something from a cow...?

re. "Breast isn't always best...bet the baby would have been fine if she was formula fed" -- sad.

"According to the American Academy of Pediatrics' most recent member survey, a majority of baby doctors see slightly more formula-fed babies than breast-fed babies admitted to the hospital for instances of malnutrition and failure to thrive. But this represents only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the differences in rates of morbidity and mortality between formula-fed and breast-fed infants in this country. When the overall health of formula-fed infants in the U.S. is compared to that of breast-fed infants -- even after controlling for variables such as parents' socioeconomic backgrounds -- it becomes clear that formula-fed babies are sicker, sick more often, and are more likely to die in infancy or childhood. However, parents often lack access to this information, and in fact, are often the recipients of misinformation, thus denied the ability to make truly informed choices regarding how they will feed their babies. Although the phrase "breast-feeding is best" is tossed around so liberally as to have been rendered almost meaningless, many Americans are under the mistaken impression that today's commercial infant formulas are nearly identical to human milk. And because of this, parents who routinely approach other important infant health and safety issues in a thoughtful, deliberate way are largely unaware that in epidemiological terms, the decision to formula-feed when breast-feeding is an option places their child at demonstrably higher risk for a wide variety of ailments."

http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/1999/07...

Answer 7

I wouldn't want some other womens milk in my kid. I'd sooner formula feed. Sad that the baby was diagnosed with FTT. It always seems to be the breastfeds that have this diagnoses. Breast isn't always best...bet the baby would have been fine if she was formula fed.

Answer 8

I had an abundance of milk, and would have been happy to share. now I know about a local milk bank, so when my next baby is born, I will be donating there... I think as long as the mom doesn't have HIV, or anything that can be transmitted my breastmilk, its a great idea. I think the idea of having my kid nursing on someone else isn't what  i would prefer, but if its expressed milk... why not, cows milk was made for baby cows, yet we drink that...

Answer 9

Gross?

I would prefer giving my son breastmilk from another woman, than formula.

A trusted woman, of course, disease-free.