Would you use someone else's EBM??

I have a lot of EBM stored in the freezer and might not get to use it all as DD never has EBM so I guess some of it might go to waste :(

I was thinking about donating it to a milk bank but I'm not sure if I can bc you have to have blood tests and the milk would obviously have been expressed before that. And also I don't know if I live close enough to one. I was thinking it would be a shame if some of it went to waste. There should be more milk banks around!!

So that got me thinking about the concept of donating milk and what people think about it. Would you use milk from a milk bank that has been donated by lots of different people and been pasturised? Would you use milk from a friend that they hadn't been pasturised etc? Would you use milk from a family member? What are the conditions in which you would accept donor milk?

It's an interesting thought. It seems to me that accepting milk from another human that makes milk esp for human babies seems weird to people. But we all drink milk from cows?? Although I was only talking about this with friends who don't have babies themselves so I'd be interested to hear what you all think!!

I know of women who do it regularly to help out friends if they need it. I suppose it would come down to your overall health, whether you smoke or drank etc as to whether a stranger would accept it just as frozen ebm and not pasturised etc. I would possibly consider taking it from a friend if I needed any (but I don't, so hypothetically) but they would have to be a non smoker/drinker and in good health and not on any medications etc.

Purely hypothetically, as I don't have kids - I don't have a problem with family feeding my bub. For instance, if myself and my sister were both breastfeeding, and I'd left my baby with her and it was time for a feed, I'm okay with her feeding my bub.

I'm not really sure how I feel about BM from a stranger though - to me, it doesn't matter how much testing is done, things can slip through or be mixed up. I have certain values, like not smoking, that the doner may not have, KWIM?

I think there is actually a call for EBM for premmie babies - can't tell you much more about it coz I am always catching the very end of the advert when it comes on.

There's a screening process for those who can donate to a milk bank, so yes I'd use milk bank milk.

A friend.. yes, if I know them well and know their lifestyle.

Family.. same.. I'd have to be happy with their lifestyle.

I'm not sure about someone else actually feeding my babies. Not in an everyday babysitting situation. In special cases I guess i'd be ok with it.. like if I ended up in hospital or something and couldn't feed. I dunno ....

I'd struggle with it. I can't stand handling other people's milk - have had to do it for work, and I always wear gloves, it's a bodily fluid, after all. I also really don't like the smell of it (I imagine my own will be different)

That said, I'm all for blood transfusion and organ donation, so why not?

I don't think I could, but it's purely for psychological reasons LOL! It would just feel weird to me, BUT that's just me.

You could always use your EBM later to add to your DD's solids (add it to rice cereal, potato, wheat bix, etc).

I would be more than happy to use a trusted friend or family members EBM, I would also be happy to use EBM from a milk bank.

Trish- thanks, that's what I was thinking I would do. Hopefully I'll use it in time.

I think I would. Of course you never know until you're in the situation though. I would let a trusted and well known family member or friend give my baby EBM in a bottle or cup, but not actually BF him. BFing him, to me is for me only, it's something that makes ME his mum. Strange maybe....
I would use a milk bank too. The milk and donor would have to pass stringent testing before being used so it would be safe. It's got to be better than formula! Especially for sick or premmi bubs.

My friend asked me for some EBM when her milk was really dry and I was okay with that.

Mum use to donate her excess milk to the orphanage and yes, I think the wiggles actually did an ad about donating EBM to the milk bank too.

However, personally, I would feel weird giving my DD someone elses EBM. Just the thought of it really.

If I had a premmie baby, I would use pasturised EBM, as I know that it is well screened and safe.
I would not use EBM from friends, although I would from my sisiter. In fact my sis is preg atm. I would feed her baby if she needed a feed and was with me, althouhg only if my sis said yes. I would also let her feed my baby. I wouldn't let anyone else, just her though. We are very close and she is a non drinker/smoker just like me.

When I was a baby (34 years ago!) it was very common to share EBM at the hospital. I know my mum had heaps of milk and would express extra for other babies, although this was when the average stay in hospital was 1-2 weeks.

I know KEMH in Perth has a milk bank which supplies the milk for the premmies. I guess if I had a premmie and I couldn't give them my own milk I would be happy to give EBM of another person.

I think those women who do take the time to donate their milk are really wonderful :clap:

There are also plenty of things you can make with left over BM. I read somewhere you can even make a soap :) I would keep it for mixing with solids and offering in a cup during meals of thats what you plan to do :)

not sure how I would feel offering my DD someone elses BM. I would if she was in hospital and my milk supply was low. would need to know it was good milk though

I actually have used my sisters EBM to top up DS in the early days. Our boys are 3 weeks apart and she has a massive supply so she expressed a few lots for me. I felt bad asking her to keep expressing for us because she was also a new mum and very tired, even though she was happy to do it.

Not sure if I would use a strangers. I guess if it had come from a milk bank where it had gone through all the quality control tests etc, I would.

Yes, i would have no problem in it.
the only exception to that would be i would only use EBM i would actually let someone else feed my baby KWIM?
I think it is a lovely gesture to be able to give someone else EBM if they need it.

I know how you feel hun. I used to have to throw out EBM and it was so sad. I wish I'd known of milk banks then.

To answer your question, yes, I would use EBM from family, a friend or a milk bank.

I would definitely use it! As long as it was screened etc! I would prefer that to formula!

Good luck with whatever you choose to do with it! :)

No. There are allergies and intolerances in the family as well as DS had such a sensitivity to caffeine, I just couldn't ask someone else to give up nuts and chocolate and have goat's milk products and no penicillin or coffee or... I don't mind doing it but I don't think I'd trust someone else to do it.

TBH formula is a better option for us because I know there are no allergens in goat's milk formula. I don't have a problem with formula. But if my baby is awake and wired for 24 hours because some donor ate just one piece of chocolate... I'd rather do formula.

I would donate, having said that. But just not accept. I know I'm OK but I don't know about you LOL.

You can use your EMB in bubba's bath water .. very good for their skin. As has been said, you can use it in their solids also. Just make sure about the dates.

I donated my milk with dd to the milk bank. They use it in state hossies for prem babies and I had loads so did not see a problem there, BUT I was screened for AIDS/HIV before hand and signed a form of consent that my milk would be used, that I don't smoke/drink/do drugs ect ect ect. I just expressed at home, freezed and brought in when I visited dd in hossie. After she got out, I stopped expressing, but there were a service that would come and pick it up at my house for free once a week. It was just to much to express with a new bubba that would not sleep :(

As for me using someone else's milk ... sure if I know that person and approve their lifestyle. Why not. I know of ppl (few generations back) that were breastfed by a neighbour or a friend. No expressing, just popping them on the breast for the first few weeks. There was nothing wrong with that .. I have to add that that was before AIDS.

Have you seen this article?

Australian mothers beg for black market breast milk | NSW/ACT | News.com.au

Apparantly this is more common than we realise...

AFM, yes, I would use someone else's EBM if I knew they were fit and healthy etc. But I would be very cautious.

I would use EBM as long as I knew it was 'clean' (I don't really know about what would make breastmilk clean or unclean, but yeah knowing someone was screened I would use their breastmilk).

On a side note, a family on the Sunshine Coast were asking for EBM donors for their 8yo (i think around that age) as they had found a link between breastmilk and keeping childhood cancer at bay. They make her a milkshake every day, and she is in remission I think. Interesting read actually... I'd better read it again as I'm a bit forgetful of the details... google 'Breast milk used in cancer fight'

HI,

Just a note to say that, goats milk formula is not allergen free. A fairly high proportion of children who are cows milk intolerant are also goats milk intolerant - so if it works for you, that's good, but it won't work for everyone.
This is an interesting discussion. It interests me that formula is not a sterile product, and has been tested and found to have reasonably high bacterial loads. But few seem to question this.

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Have you seen this article?

Australian mothers beg for black market breast milk | NSW/ACT | News.com.au

Apparantly this is more common than we realise...

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Hmmm.......... maybe I should sell it on ebay, lol.

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You can use your EMB in bubba's bath water .. very good for their skin.

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Oooh........I have some in the fridge thats been there a couple of days that I should have frozen but never got around to, maybe I'll use if for that. Although DD has baths with DH at night, lol, wonder what he'd say. Maybe I'll just run the bath and put it in and he'll think it's the QV oil, hahaha.

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wonder what he'd say. Maybe I'll just run the bath and put it in and he'll think it's the QV oil, hahaha.

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hehehe - shhhhhhh It'll be our little secret ;)

Your skin too ... maybe you should have a bath with her?

You really got me thinking, so I googled and I found this:

Things to Do with Your Extra Breastmilk

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Most mothers who pump milk for their babies keep extra in the freezer just in case of emergency. Breastmilk does not stay good in the freezer forever, however. What do you do with the breastmilk that you do not use? It would be a shame for it to go to waste. Here are some tips and tricks
from other mothers on what you can do with your frozen breastmilk leftovers.

Freeze breastmilk in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop out the breastmilk cubes and store them in a zip-top freezer bag. You can go back to your stash from time to time when you need some and take only one cube of breastmilk at a time rather than heat up an entire bag of milk for one small application.

To treat an insect sting, take a frozen cube of breastmilk and apply it to the sting area. Hold it there until melted.

Breastmilk cures pinkeye (conjunctivitis). Just express a little breastmilk or thaw one of your cubes and rinse your eye with it several times a day.

If your baby is teething, wrap a cube or two of frozen breastmilk in a thin washcloth and secure it tightly with a heavy rubber band. Let baby chew and suck on the cube. It will taste good as it melts and the cold will make baby's gums feel better.

To treat diaper rash or yeast infections, give baby (or yourself) a bath in warm water mixed with lots of breastmilk. The milk is soothing to the skin and will also help to kill the infection. Milk baths will also soften your skin.

Breastmilk can be used to treat acne and soften your skin. Apply to skin in the evenings before bed or mix into a facial mask and apply. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before rinsing.

Breastmilk can cure an ear infection. Melt one of your frozen cubes and use a medicine dropper to gently squirt it into the ear canal several times a day.

Breastmilk makes a great ingredient for toddlers' popsicles. When you freeze your own popsicles at home, add breastmilk to the recipe instead of water. You can also freeze plain milk popsicles.

Breastmilk can cure all types of infection. Use it to treat cuts, bruises, scrapes, and minor infections. You can apply breastmilk to your baby's cord stump or to a circumcision wound. Breastmilk can also be used on burns and to soothe chicken pox itch.

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I especially like the popsicles one!!!!

I would use it if I needed too (ie premmie or sick baby and I didn't have the supply myself) I would want it to be from a milk bank though or else from someone I knew there health status and lifestyle. Like I probably would be reluctant to use it if they were smoking or using drugs or even some prescription medications.

I was actually asked by a friend if I could express for her daughter who was 2months older then mine. I wasn't happy about it although I could see why she wanted my milk over formula (she had a dwindling supply and a strong hx of allergies which is why she wanted EBM) I couldnt do it for her though as I had a terrible oversupply situation which meant getting mastitis 5times in 3months and ending up on IV antibiotics. Everything I did couldn't prevent me getting it always a different boob. My body couldnt handle feeding one baby from producing too much let along a supply for 2 which would mean I would make even more then I already was. Don't waste your milk though if you can't use it. Its too good to be discarded.

no i wouldnt use anyone else EBM to feed my child, sorry but thats just me.

Great thread! Yes I would use someone else's EBM, a friend, family or milk bank. I would myuch prefer EBM over formula!!!
I'm an exclussive expresser and have had lots of milk in the freezer so when I was asked by my best friend's mother if she could have some because she has cancer, I was more than happy to give her some.

This is a story I posted a little while ago about one woman's amazing gift to a milk bank.

http://forums.bellybelly.com.au/foru...ing-story.html

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I would be more than happy to use a trusted friend or family members EBM, I would also be happy to use EBM from a milk bank.

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Me too!

I'd also BF someone elses bub or allow mine to be BF by someone else too if it was needed. I'd not let my baby or someone elses baby starve to death. I thought about this after hurricane Katrina when bubba starved because there was no formula for them :(

Interestingly, the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends using other EBM over formula.

Where abouts are you?
I can PM you a load of info from Mercy Hospital about donation if you like.

I have to say that I wouldn't. I can't get past the fact that EBM is someone's body fluid!! The way I also look at it is that breast milk is only as good as the person that is making it..so yes they test for infectious diseases (which as someone else pointed out is not always foolproof) but they don't test peoples diet and other factors that effect the quality of the milk. So i wouldn't use it.But i have no problem with people that feel they would use it..it's good to have choices in this world.

That's an interesting point Rachel. However,there really is no such things as "poor quality" milk. You don't need a great diet to produce bm, and bm is all of a high quality. The real risk is either disease transmission, or harmful substances such as drugs in the milk. With the bm banks, the donors are screened, the milk has been pasteurised (and this has been shown to eliminate harmful things), and the donors also commit to keeping alcohol and mediation use within safe limits. If there were more bm banks around, and they had the funds to accept all the donations on offer, this really would be a fantastic service and would save a fortune in health dollars.

It's interesting to me that so many people are concerned about what's in bm without giving a thought to the fact that there is no way of knowing what is in formula. Studies have shown that the content in each batch of formula varies, and almost without fail contains some contaminants. Yet this seems to be less concerning to people. It's interesting the way we are more scared of natural products than man made!

Jaxon got conjunctivitis a month or so back....i think the hossies told me it was the viral type not bacterial, harder to treat etc. I tried the boobie juice and it didn't do anything. It actually made it worse hence why we made a very quick trip to the local hossie!

Someone close to me and i knew of there lifestyle i wouldn't have a problem accepting EBM. PPL who donate are truely brillant!

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That's an interesting point Rachel. However,there really is no such things as "poor quality" milk. You don't need a great diet to produce bm, and bm is all of a high quality. The real risk is either disease transmission, or harmful substances such as drugs in the milk. With the bm banks, the donors are screened, the milk has been pasteurised (and this has been shown to eliminate harmful things), and the donors also commit to keeping alcohol and mediation use within safe limits. If there were more bm banks around, and they had the funds to accept all the donations on offer, this really would be a fantastic service and would save a fortune in health dollars.

It's interesting to me that so many people are concerned about what's in bm without giving a thought to the fact that there is no way of knowing what is in formula. Studies have shown that the content in each batch of formula varies, and almost without fail contains some contaminants. Yet this seems to be less concerning to people. It's interesting the way we are more scared of natural products than man made!

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I thought about this a little more and it is so true what MR has said! Do we ever question what sort of paddock a cow is in, whether it has been sprayed with pesticides?? No, we just drink the damn carton without a thought in the world.

I'd be happy to use EBM if I had a premmie baby because my gut feeling is that they really need it.

And I'd be happy to donate milk.

But I wouldn't be happy to use EBM for a baby that was a few months old. I don't have a good scientific reason for this. Just in my own experience, DD had my EBM for two months (and subsequently formula) and has been to the doctors once in two years. The other babies in Mothers Group who were fully breastfed have been sick way more often so that makes me concerned about using other people's EBM. I know that runs contrary to all the research out there but that has been my experience.

Having said that, I think that Milk Banks are a fantastic idea and I fully support them for people who want to use them. I would be more than happy to donate to them but wouldn't necessarily use their services myself.

i would use some one elses as well as let them feed my baby(under certain circumstances)
i would be happy to donate milk and or boobs to others

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or boobs to others

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:rofl: My DH says he will take you up on that one!!! :p :p





PS. He also said that I have to make it CLEAR that he was just joking. :lol:

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I have to say that I wouldn't. I can't get past the fact that EBM is someone's body fluid!!

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I know what you mean, cause this was my immediate reaction..but really when you think about it, we drink bodily fluids from animals all the time...that's much more icky, really. And going back years ago, it was quite acceptable (wet-nursing).

There was something about this on the Today show this morning. Seems there is a milk bank here on the coast. And it was either there or somewhere else they mentioned that atm it is all free, but they may need to introduce a 'handling fee' I think they called it, to cover costs...maybe $10 a bottle...whcih made me go 'whoa, that's expensive!'

So, would you pay $10 for a bottle, when a tin of formula is significantly less?

It would be a shame if mothers were priced out of screened EBM when they really wanted it or needed it.

It has made me think too...my sis is also PG...yes I would feed her baby...I guess I would let her feed mine? TBH I'd never considered it before. Interesting.