Donor breastmilk for your baby?

[KellyPalmer]

I would totally take donor breastmilk. It’s wonderful that mothers can share something so important with one another! If I apply the logic provided here, would I need to let a cow hold my baby in order to feed him infant formula? After researching cow’s milk…all the blood and puss it contains, how it’s suited for baby cows with completely different digestive systems, how it’s killed of it’s life and overly processed…along with the other ingredients in formula…it would be an easy choice for me. I’m glad we have infant formula for when needed but according to the WHO, the order of preference should be:

mom breastfeeding her baby
mom feeding her baby her own pumped milk
mom feeding her baby donor pumped milk
and the fourth choice being commercial infant formula

I would go with a local mom, not a milk bank. The milk in milk banks is pasteurized which defeats some of the major points of breastmilk.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I’ll post from the La Leche League;

llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvaprmay00p19.html

Donor milk banking is defined as the collection, screening, processing, and distribution of human milk from volunteer breastfeeding mothers. Donor milk is dispensed only by prescription to individuals with medical and/or nutritional needs which require human milk. Over the years donor milk banking has fallen in and out of favor with the medical community. During the 1970s when neonatology became a field of its own and smaller and smaller premature infants began to survive, donor milk was an integral part of feeding these infants, and numerous donor milk banks existed around the country. The emphasis shifted in the 1980s when formulas designed especially for premature babies were introduced and HIV became a concern. As we head into the 21st century, the appropriate emphasis in Neonatal Intensive Care Units is for mothers of premature infants to provide their own milk. Use of donor milk has shifted in the last 10 years from being used nearly exclusively for premature infants to currently being used for older infants and children with major nutritional or immunological problems, as well as for the occasional adult (see Table 1 Clinical Uses). There has been an increasing trend in the use of this prescription item as well as the expansion of the US donor milk banking network with the 1999 opening of a new milk bank in Austin Texas. Current barriers to increased usage are lack of physician awareness of the service and lack of national policy supporting the use of donor milk in certain clinical situations.

and’

In the age of potential transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and other viruses through human milk, there is an increased risk of using a wet nurse. There are also new strains of bacteria that are becoming drug resistant and extremely dangerous. Informal sharing of milk between nursing mothers who care for each other’s children and nurse them, or sharing expressed milk with a friend or neighbor or acquaintance is not advisable. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifically recommend against this informal sharing of milk.
Donor milk banks have put several safeguards into place to prevent the possibility of disease transmission. First, all donors are carefully screened for diseases of various kinds before their milk is accepted. In the informal sharing situation this safeguard is usually absent. Additionally, donor milk banks pasteurize all milk prior to distribution and check it for bacterial content. This safeguard is also not present when women share milk with each other informally.
Because some individuals may have a viral or bacterial infection but remain asymptomatic (without symptoms), they may never know that they are infecting another party. For this reason, “knowing someone well” would be inadequate protection against disease transmission because the carrier is unaware she is infected. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases or illegal drug use, people may go to extremes to protect discovery of the behavior that led to the infection.
Finally, there have been cases where family members have nursed or provided milk for each other’s children. This might be considered very safe by some individuals, but for the same reasons listed above may prove to be unsafe. Imagine the strain on a family relationship and dynamic, not to mention the guilt, if a child should become ill because of a disease that was transmitted via the shared milk of a relative.
Perhaps the only exception to this situation might be in a hospice situation where the recipient of the milk is not expected to live. In this case, milk from a family member may alleviate suffering and discomfort caused by medications or the disease itself. Family members should not expect a quick fix, however, and should discuss the options thoroughly and be fully aware of the possibility of disease transmission.

 

[Z1Z2]

When my kids were infants, I had an over abundant supply. I would have been happy to donate to a mom who had trouble producing. I doubt I would have just “handed it over”, though. To protect myself from potential problems down the road, I would have wanted it tested by a milk bank first. I knew I was healthy, but it is not that far fetched that a recipient might have some health-related issue, and the parents could come back to blame me. Even relatives turn on relatives, at times. Especially when considering that even breastmilk can carry contaminants form the daily environment, I would want to protect myself and my family before donating.

 

[pentecostbaby]

As a national organization, La Leche League is notoriously anti-milk-sharing, simply because of legal liability reasons. They cannot risk recommending non-banked milk and being named a defendant in a legal case. That is the only place the above advice comes from.
A screened donor who is currently nursing her own child, preferably of the same age, who can provide medical documentation, is very, very low-risk. As Kelly mentioned above, the WHO recommends milk-sharing over formula.
I have donated to two strangers and nursed at least three children whom I didn’t birth. My godson will tell you that he drank my milk <3. To say I should have denied that to him because he wasn’t in hospice …?! That’s patently absurd. His mother also nursed my older son, and would have nursed my younger son as well, but he’s milk-spy protein intolerant. Truthfully, I’m sort of sad he missed out on that.

 

[KellyPalmer]

As a national organization, La Leche League is notoriously anti-milk-sharing, simply because of legal liability reasons. They cannot risk recommending non-banked milk and being named a defendant in a legal case. That is the only place the above advice comes from.
A screened donor who is currently nursing her own child, preferably of the same age, who can provide medical documentation, is very, very low-risk. As Kelly mentioned above, the WHO recommends milk-sharing over formula.
I have donated to two strangers and nursed at least three children whom I didn’t birth. My godson will tell you that he drank my milk <3. To say I should have denied that to him because he wasn’t in hospice …?! That’s patently absurd. His mother also nursed my older son, and would have nursed my younger son as well, but he’s milk-spy protein intolerant. Truthfully, I’m sort of sad he missed out on that.

It’s true. Our local LLL ended up starting a spinoff group to facilitate milk sharing. A regular mom from LLL meetings started the group but all of our LLL leaders are also members of the group and help out with this. It just can’t be associated with the LLL title for legal reasons.

The thought of taking your milk to a bank first before donating to someone is not an option. I just don’t really get what all the hoopla is about but hey, to each their own! When was the last time you saw a news story of a someone’s baby being harmed by their own mom’s breastmilk?

 

[Z1Z2]

Abstract of article entitled: “Chemical contaminants in breast milk and their impacts on children’s health: an overview.”

Human milk is the best source of nutrition for infants. Breast milk contains the optimal balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for developing babies, and it provides a range of benefits for growth, immunity, and development. Unfortunately, breast milk is not pristine. Contamination of human milk is widespread and is the consequence of decades of inadequately controlled pollution of the environment by toxic chemicals. The finding of toxic chemicals in breast milk raises important issues for pediatric practice, for the practice of public health, and for the environmental health research community. It also illuminates gaps in current knowledge including a) insufficient information on the nature and levels of contaminants in breast milk; b) lack of consistent protocols for collecting and analyzing breast milk samples; c) lack of toxicokinetic data; and d) lack of data on health outcomes that may be produced in infants by exposure to chemicals in breast milk. These gaps in information impede risk assessment and make difficult the formulation of evidence-based health guidance. To address these issues, there is a need for a carefully planned and conducted national breast milk monitoring effort in the United States. Additionally, to assess health outcomes of toxic exposures via breast milk, it will be necessary to examine children prospectively over many years in longitudinal epidemiologic studies that use standardized examination protocols that specifically assess breast milk exposures. Finally, current risk assessment methods need to be expanded to include consideration of the potential risks posed to infants and children by exposures to chemical residues in breast milk.

That is just one paper on the issue; there are plenty of others. Certainly breastfeeding was a risk (if it was one) I was willing to take for my own kids, but not knowing the composition of my breastmilk, I would not have left myself exposed legally by donating w/o testing first.

 

[KellyPalmer]

Abstract of article entitled: “Chemical contaminants in breast milk and their impacts on children’s health: an overview.”

Human milk is the best source of nutrition for infants. Breast milk contains the optimal balance of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for developing babies, and it provides a range of benefits for growth, immunity, and development. Unfortunately, breast milk is not pristine. Contamination of human milk is widespread and is the consequence of decades of inadequately controlled pollution of the environment by toxic chemicals. The finding of toxic chemicals in breast milk raises important issues for pediatric practice, for the practice of public health, and for the environmental health research community. It also illuminates gaps in current knowledge including a) insufficient information on the nature and levels of contaminants in breast milk; b) lack of consistent protocols for collecting and analyzing breast milk samples; c) lack of toxicokinetic data; and d) lack of data on health outcomes that may be produced in infants by exposure to chemicals in breast milk. These gaps in information impede risk assessment and make difficult the formulation of evidence-based health guidance. To address these issues, there is a need for a carefully planned and conducted national breast milk monitoring effort in the United States. Additionally, to assess health outcomes of toxic exposures via breast milk, it will be necessary to examine children prospectively over many years in longitudinal epidemiologic studies that use standardized examination protocols that specifically assess breast milk exposures. Finally, current risk assessment methods need to be expanded to include consideration of the potential risks posed to infants and children by exposures to chemical residues in breast milk.

That is just one paper on the issue; there are plenty of others. Certainly breastfeeding was a risk (if it was one) I was willing to take for my own kids, but not knowing the composition of my breastmilk, I would not have left myself exposed legally by donating w/o testing first.

This is talking about environmental toxins. This wouldn’t vary much from one mom to the other. And the same environmental toxins exist in the cow’s that are milked for infant formula and the GMO corn that is used for the corn syrup to sweeten it…and on and on.

 

[Z1Z2]

This is talking about environmental toxins. This wouldn’t vary much from one mom to the other. And the same environmental toxins exist in the cow’s that are milked for infant formula and the GMO corn that is used for the corn syrup to sweeten it…and on and on.

I imagine you’re correct about some environmental toxins, but not all. If I donate to my neighbor, we’re likely both exposed to the same things. However, some one who lives in a large city is exposed to different environmental toxins than someone who lives in the country (which could have things like ag pollution to worry about). Likewise, cows in different places are exposed to different things. I don’t intend to argue the pros and cons of breast feeding (I exclusively pumped a year for one child and nursed my other child for longer, so I believe in breastmilk.), only that I personally wouldn’t donate untested milk, because I would want to make sure I was legally protected.

 

[Kelfa28]

I had a seemingly enormous supply of milk.

I was unable to BF my daughter (looking back, I didn’t get the help I needed to do so) but I was able to pump.
And boy did I ever pump.

The first couple of months I produced a massive supply that I saved in the freezer. I literally had bags and bags filled with frozen milk that you could have easily filled a large cooler with.

I seriously looked into donation. I would have been happy to help another mother feed her child.

The problem was my daughter’s appetite was increasing and I started using my backup supply to supplement. It kept increasing until I had used up every ounce of my backup supply and was fighting to pump enough to feed her.

In the end I couldn’t produce enough milk to feed her. I made it to 6 months of feeding her only pumped milk…no formula supplementation.
I had to put her on formula for good at month seven…which, of course, broke my heart.

I’m on the fence about donated milk. I think it’s an outstanding gift a mother could provide another mother in need. But the underlying risks involved are a bit scary.

I suppose if you know the donating mother, or at least meet her, and get a copy of her records…then it would be okay.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

As a national organization, La Leche League is notoriously anti-milk-sharing, simply because of legal liability reasons. They cannot risk recommending non-banked milk and being named a defendant in a legal case. That is the only place the above advice comes from.
A screened donor who is currently nursing her own child, preferably of the same age, who can provide medical documentation, is very, very low-risk. As Kelly mentioned above, the WHO recommends milk-sharing over formula.
I have donated to two strangers and nursed at least three children whom I didn’t birth. My godson will tell you that he drank my milk <3. To say I should have denied that to him because he wasn’t in hospice …?! That’s patently absurd. His mother also nursed my older son, and would have nursed my younger son as well, but he’s milk-spy protein intolerant. Truthfully, I’m sort of sad he missed out on that.

Would you mind providing a link from the WHO.

I’ve read they recommend donor milk through milk banks. I’m just curious.

 

[KellyPalmer]

Would you mind providing a link from the WHO.

I’ve read they recommend donor milk through milk banks. I’m just curious.

They recommend either/or. It can come from a wet nurse or a milk bank:

“For those few health situations where infants
cannot, or should not, be breastfed, the choice of the best
alternative – expressed breast milk from an infant’s own mother,
breast milk from a healthy wet-nurse or a human-milk bank, or a
breast-milk substitute fed with a cup, which is a safer method than
a feeding bottle and teat – depends on individual circumstances.”

source - whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2003/9241562218.pdf

 

[lifeisbeautiful]

OP, another thought that you may have already considered. Since the mother’s body responds to the feeding demands of her baby, it’s possible that your body could now or at a later date start producing more milk. There are supplementation systems that enable you to feed your baby formula while she is nursing so that her suckle can prompt your body to make more milk. I only say this because some of the factors that made breastfeeding a newborn difficult (the bilirubin count, sleepy baby, poor latch/suck, etc) may not be a problem for a one or two month old. And PCOS can be treated if it hasn’t been already. You could meet with a lactation consultant at some point to explore these options. Just a thought. I’m rooting for you!

This is what I was thinking as well. My kiddos have had jaundice (not high enough to require hospitalization/light lamp), and so I looked into the whole idea of using formula because of that (some md’s are actually against it). The other factors also seem like potentially temporary things. Maybe they are the bigger reasons your milk supply went low and not because of PCOS? I do know PCOS can affect your ability, I am not trying to dismiss it, but since you are at the point that you are willing to consider a stranger’s milk, I think it would be a good idea to look into this if you haven’t already (for example the system where you have a little tube to feed your baby while she nurses, etc). I am in the camp that would not take informal milk donation… sure you could end up with a wonderful donor that doesn’t have any issues, but I don’t think there is any way to assure you are screening the person correctly (even if you ask for medical records, how do you know, how do they know, if they are complete?)… I would maybe consider a milk bank if it was feasible, or an informal donor if I know them and trust what they say (like family etc). I’m very much pro Bfing (I bf all of my kids past 1, my last kiddo till 2, and have breastfed each of them while pregnant with awful morning sickness), but I would not want to risk exposing my very new and delicate little baby to illnesses from donors who may not even be aware of what they have! Even donors who don’t have anything could lack in the hygiene area and so the milk could become tainted because of how the pump and/or milk were/was handled!

 

[Xantippe]

Lifeisbeautiful said:

“Even donors who don’t have anything could lack in the hygiene area and so the milk could become tainted because of how the pump and/or milk were/was handled!”

Exactly.

About the WHO quotes upthread–bear in mind that WHO may not be speaking to people in our situation at all. They may be primarily interested in saving the lives of babies who would die in developing countries because of formula prepared with water full of diarrhea-causing bacteria or because poor mothers thin down formula in order to save money. What they say against bottles points in that direction, as while it is genuinely difficult to keep nipples and bottles clean if you have no dishwasher and no clean water, that is not at all the case in the US or other developed countries.

Formula-feeding in a refugee camp Subsaharan Africa and formula feeding in a comfortable middle class home in the US are entirely different matters.

If still in doubt, ask your pediatrician.

 

[Baby_Irish]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I understand all of your opinions and really do appreciate them. I do know there is a risk, though I do also believe it is possible to make sure they are extremely low (it is accepted as normal to ask the donor mom to get screened for the same diseases/medications as a donor bank, you can pasteurize the milk yourself, form a relationship with the donor mom, go with one donor who continues to donate every week/month…etc…) I really wish there was some way I could advertise to local San Diego Catholic moms.
I looked into a milk bank and it is astronomically expensive!!!
As far as fixing the problem with low milk supply…I am trying to everyday. I nurse her as often as I can, before giving her formula when she shows signs that she is not getting enough at the breast. I also pump a few times a day. I wish I could pump more often but it is impossible for me to get her to be content long enough by herself when she is awake for me to pump. So I do when she is asleep if it is not too close to the time when she will be hungry again.
Does anyone have any success stories of low milk supply increasing enough to breastfeed exclusively? I did see a LLL Lactation Consultant and to be honest it was not a nice experience! She cost us $160 and stressed the heck out of us! She gave us a novel sized packet of info, really pushed other very expensive therapies, brought out many,many books she recommended, as well as incorrectly diagnosing our baby with a tongue tie and telling me I probably had PCOS. Our baby was 10 days old at the time and I really just needed a hands on, calm person to not overwhelm us so much. I left in tears. She also promised to be available as much as I needed via text and phone but ended up not answering me after a few texts. We do not have a lot of money so it was pretty dissapointing to me.
Anyway, prayers would be appreciated and thank you to those who have. I think what will end up happening is I will continue to nurse her with the supply I have and supplement as needed. I don’t think (but I may be wrong?) that I can increase my supply enough at this point, with her being 4 weeks, to the point of being able to breastfeed exclusively. The lactation consultant told me a woman has a window of the first 2 weeks to lay down adequate lactation receptors in order to breastfeed exclusively. And obviously that has passed for me.

 

[Xantippe]

“I did see a LLL Lactation Consultant and to be honest it was not a nice experience! She cost us $160 and stressed the heck out of us!”

I got a lot of benefit just from talking to my pediatrician’s nurse line when my current baby was having trouble with jaundice and feeding issues last fall. And I don’t think they bill for that.

“I think what will end up happening is I will continue to nurse her with the supply I have and supplement as needed. I don’t think (but I may be wrong?) that I can increase my supply enough at this point, with her being 4 weeks, to the point of being able to breastfeed exclusively. The lactation consultant told me a woman has a window of the first 2 weeks to lay down adequate lactation receptors in order to breastfeed exclusively. And obviously that has passed for me.”

In any case, your baby will probably be starting solids probably in 3-5 months, anyway. “Exclusive” breastfeeding is a pretty short period, even under the best of circumstances.

You might want to look at the Fearless Formula Feeder’s archives. She has a lot of guest posts from women with particular nursing difficulties. Here are the ones that came up when I did a search for PCOS on her blog:

fearlessformulafeeder.com/category/pcos/

By the way, I have to mention that there can be unexpected issues with frozen or stored breastmilk, even one’s own. I discovered, after freezing dozens of bottles of milk, that mine acquires a nasty flavor during the freezing process and my older kids refused it. Years later, I learned that that happens a lot (possibly an excess of an enzyme).

kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/lipase-expressedmilk/

Another complicating factor in figuring out how to prioritize different feeding methods that breastmilk loses some of its beneficial properties when it isn’t fresh–milk that has been frozen for months is not the same stuff as milk fresh from the tap. So it doesn’t make sense to make as many sacrifices to obtain and use frozen milk. Likewise, there is reason to believe that some of the benefits obtained from breastfeeding vs. formula feeding may have something to do with the absence of a bottle, as bottle-feeding is conducive to ear infection, regardless of what is in the bottle.

thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/kids/art2111.html

 

[aloe]

This is talking about environmental toxins. This wouldn’t vary much from one mom to the other. And the same environmental toxins exist in the cow’s that are milked for infant formula and the GMO corn that is used for the corn syrup to sweeten it…and on and on.

If ever in this situation I would 100% choose to use breast milk from a donor vs. powder GMO corn syrup in a can to raise my baby. Breast milk has MANY benefits that does not go away if it is not the baby’s own mother. I have gotten to know moms many who breast feed and as a group they are highly educated, stable, married for years, and very picky on what they allow in their own bodies and eat an excellent diet. That is very kind of them to take time of their days and money out of their budget (pump, milk bags, freezer) to donate their milk.

I would use a SNS to deliver the milk so it helped my own production as well.
I sent you a PM.
My LLL helped me for free, even came to my house. Not sure why yours charged and treated you badly. I am sorry.

 

[pensmama87]

I have donated milk before. My pumped milk develops a soapy taste very quickly (it’s not “bad”, just tastes weird), and my son refused to drink it. If I scald it, the soapy taste doesn’t develop, but by the time I figured that out I had a full freezer. Some babies don’t mind the taste, though, so I donated what I already had to a mom who is exclusively pumping for twins and needed the extra (she knew about the taste issue and her babies weren’t bothered.)

She didn’t request my records or anything (I posted on a donor group on Facebook advertising that I had milk available) but I would have provided if she had asked. I looked into donating to banks but it actually costs money to donate, at least in my area. The mom I donated to lived five minutes away and I was only out the milk that my son wouldn’t drink anyway and the cost of the bags. Many moms who donate are donating milk that was intended for their own babies, but they won’t be using it and feel awful just throwing it away.

One place I would stay away from are “milk markets,” where women actually sell breastmilk (or what they say is breastmilk.)

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

I have donated milk before. My pumped milk develops a soapy taste very quickly (it’s not “bad”, just tastes weird), and my son refused to drink it. If I scald it, the soapy taste doesn’t develop, but by the time I figured that out I had a full freezer. Some babies don’t mind the taste, though, so I donated what I already had to a mom who is exclusively pumping for twins and needed the extra (she knew about the taste issue and her babies weren’t bothered.)

She didn’t request my records or anything (I posted on a donor group on Facebook advertising that I had milk available) but I would have provided if she had asked. I looked into donating to banks but it actually costs money to donate, at least in my area. The mom I donated to lived five minutes away and I was only out the milk that my son wouldn’t drink anyway and the cost of the bags. Many moms who donate are donating milk that was intended for their own babies, but they won’t be using it and feel awful just throwing it away.

One place I would stay away from are “milk markets,” where women actually sell breastmilk (or what they say is breastmilk.)

I’m sure you’re a nice person, but a stranger accepted your breast milk without requesting your health records?

I understand breast milk is best, but she actually was very lucky.

Just because a mom breast feeds doesn’t mean she’s healthier than the average person, or less inclined to lie about her sexual history or drug use. I wouldn’t expect a stranger to allow me to baby sit her child without screening me, let alone provide milk.

It seems somewhat naïve to think that it is a safe practice.

 

[pensmama87]

I’m sure you’re a nice person, but a stranger accepted your breast milk without requesting your health records?

I understand breast milk is best, but she actually was very lucky.

Just because a mom breast feeds doesn’t mean she’s healthier than the average person, or less inclined to lie about her sexual history or drug use. I wouldn’t expect a stranger to allow me to baby sit her child without screening me, let alone provide milk.

It seems somewhat naïve to think that it is a safe practice.

I see what you are saying. I would probably not accept from a stranger without records (though those can be inaccurate or misleading as well.) I guess I just don’t think many moms would be actively seeking to donate milk that wouldn’t be safe for their own babies. From the group I was in, it was mostly women whose babies had late-discovered sensitivities (usually dairy) or excess lipase activity in their milk like me, and they couldn’t use the stores they already had built up.

Breastfeeding rates are getting better in this country but they are still not great. This may be stereotypical, but somehow I don’t see a drug addict pumping and saving breastmilk to give to other people (selling what is supposed to be breastmilk in milk markets, maybe.) I would expect that the women who are making the effort to pump are being careful to use clean pumps and containers. The only major concern I would have is that milk may not have been stored at a proper temperature. And if a mom accepted donor milk and felt like something was off based on the vibe she got from the donor, she can always pitch it and the donor will never know.

Then again, formula companies have done a lot of damage to breastfeeding rates, even in places where formula is far from practical due to lack of clean water, etc. I don’t deny that corporations have a right to try and make money, but I’m not a fan of the tactics they’ve used and quality control is not always what it should be (and even if it is, mistakes happen and there are recalls, etc.) A person has to weigh the risks, for sure. I am, personally, more inclined to trust a person who is acting neighborly. But that might not be everyone.

(I’ll note I also have used Freecycle and Craigslist to sell and give away unwanted things. These people come to my house to get them in most cases - so I have to give an address. But nobody’s tried to break in.)