Milk banks..would you use one?

I have raised on a few other forums the idea of a petition I am intending to send out - and have received some very positive responses on two forums, very negative rude ones on others :( I am starting a petition to send to the relevant health authorities, suggesting the introduction of milk banks in Australia. It seems a lot of mums would love to be able to use donated breastmilk if they cant feed their babies themselves (for whatever reason, short or long term) as long as the milk had been tested for diseases and was sterile etc. Seeing as feeding a baby another mothers breastmilk is third on the WHO's list of best ways to feed an infant (after breastfeeding from the mothers breast, then EBM from the mothers boobs fed in a cup or bottle) and it comes BEFORE forumula, which is FOURTH on the list of preferred feeding methods-it seems crazy to me that there are no milk banks.

So my question is-would anyone here consider using a milk bank if they were unable to breastfeed their babies? Would you donate yourself? This is providing the milk was of course thouroughly tested for diseases, and was treated in a sterile and safe manner. (as it is in milk banks overseas)

If you would, would you consider signing this petition?

Thanks for reading :)

Guys I resurrected this just to see what yous think (Probably ignore the petition etc, its old) but just if youd consider it?

K

I remember my mchn saying something about this. She mentioned Melbourne in regards to it being done but I don't know if it was just the prem bubs that were getting the milk. I would donate prob. I am a really good milker when it comes to expressing. I suppose it's loke blood. Once sterilized and tested, then it still should be better than formula.

I must keep an eye on this thred as it could be interesting.

I actually know of someone in the postnatal/breastfeeding industry who's already been lobbying to set one up, I think she's gotten stacks of info together and is in the process. I will see if I can find out where she is up to for a progress check. :)

Wow just the otherday I mentioned to the girls with young babies that in other societies they often have wet nurses or relos or other bf'ing women feed their bubs if there is a problem.... so this is interesting!

It just makes sense to me- if for some reason I couldn't produce milk for my newborn, I'd be thrilled if this were available as an option. Last time I breasfed I had way too much milk at times, so I would gladly have donated, too.

Kerrie

I don't know all the details but there is one opening or opened already in Victoria, All I know is its a privately run thing and there are plans to open more all over Australia.

Just for the record, I think I would go out of my way to be able to donate milk. And If I ever needed too I would go out of my way to use it as well.

I would DEFINITELY donate milk and use it if we needed it..I have already discussed with a breastfeeding friend that we'd try to supply milk for each other if one got sick..

I would go out of my way too, I used to have heaps in the fridge from an oversupply problem, it never got used :( such a waste..

Just today I tipped out FIVE bottles of EBM that I had in the freezer but after about 4 months it hasn't been needed and was looking a bit strange so I thought best to dump it and start a new stash.

When the twins were born and still in the SCN the nurses used to joke that I could feed all the bubs in there, coz I was expressing every 3 hrs, they had about 32mls each and i was producing around 250 ml!~! SO I definately would have some to spare, and would quite happily share it around.

Forgot to mention, I have a friend who was born @ 28 weeks, she is 36 now. When she was in the NICU her mum and the other mums would express and they'd put it all in a big vat and give each baby what they needed. She breastfeed's her daughter but was a little horrified at the idea..I said to her, wow that is probably why you are so healthy now. because you had all those women's antibodies..how wonderful..then she thought about and realised it was probably true..

Isn't it amazing that some people shudder at the idea of having had another womens milk yet are happy to drink another speices milk.
Its not like its urine!!!

:

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Australia's first milk bank
August 12, 2004 - 1:06PM


Australia's first milk bank is to start offering breast milk to new mothers in Victoria from the beginning of next year.

Melbourne-based lactation consultant Margaret Callaghan plans to open the private service which will pasteurise milk donations and offer them to mothers who cannot produce enough for their own babies.

The proposal has raised questions about how the new service would be regulated.

Ms Callaghan said the private company setting up the Victorian milk bank planned to set up in NSW next and then to establish clinics nationwide.

She said new mothers who wanted to donate would be screened for disease and would then express the milk at home.

"It wouldn't be like a cow shed," she said.

The milk would be pasteurised and given to premature babies whose mothers for some reason could not provide enough milk.

Premature babies would be targeted initially as they were the most likely to suffer necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), or bowel blockages, after being fed formula, she said.

Mothers milk also aided neurological development and reduced the risks of infections, Ms Callaghan said.

Hospitals used to provide excess milk from new mothers to babies who needed it until the rise of the spectre of AIDS in the 80s.

Ms Callaghan said that as the average age of mothers increased, so had the demand for breast milk.

"I have people ringing me saying 'Where can I get some human milk from'," she said.

The president of paediatrics and child health of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Professor Don Roberton today said any move to make breast milk more available was positive as long as the milk was properly screened for disease.

Professor Roberton said human milk had advantages over formula, especially for premature babies.

"But we also have to be very aware of any potential risks that might occur with human milk," he said.

Breast milk would need to be carefully screened in the same way donated blood was, he said.

Breast milk banks operate in the UK, the USA and parts of Europe but the prospect of them opening in Australia has raised the question of who is responsible for their regulation.

A Therapeutic Goods Administration spokesman said a breast milk bank would be a state rather than a federal responsibility.

A spokesman for the Victorian Department of Human Services said a breast milk bank would come under the State food act.

The operators would have to show their product was "free of infection and fit for human consumption" and convince the government that they had strict screening processes in place, he said.

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My step-sister is from the USA and she was shocked to hear that we don't have milk banks here. When she BF'd, she had enough milk to feed the 5000 so she mentioned donating to milk banks. When I told her that they don't exist here she thought that was really strange.
I am not sure I would want Gabby having milk from someone else but that's because I can feed myself. If I wasn't able to, it might be a different story. Very interesting.

Yeah if there wasn't a need to use another mothers milk then you wouldn't but if I had the choice of using Breastmilk or Formula, I would choose to use the breastmilk for as long as I could.

That article says that the milk is pasturised, I wonder if that makes a difference?

My milk didn't come in, so I've had to formula feed Zander from day 3 but I don't think I like the thought of giving him milk from a milk bank. But whoever said we drink milk from an entirely different species makes me think about it in a different light. I think my main issue is infectious diseases being passed on.....

I don't think I could do it, but I know logically as sarah said how strange that sounds after we drink cows milk LOL! I recently saw on the news a woman feeding some baby tigers at a zoo somewhere, and I don't think I could do that either. But having said that if there was no formula and I couldn't bf I would do anything to keep my baby alive so I dunno :-s its a hard one.

*hugs*
Cailin

I saw that too about the woman breastfeeding the tigers. Can I just say I hope they don't have teeth LOL!!

I don't think i could do it either. But who knows what I would decide if I had to ever face the situation of choosing, ie a prem baby.

Love

I dont think I would accept it from a bank - but then becasue I've been able to feed, maybe I'm looking at it through rose coloured glasses?? I dont really like the idea of a wet-nurse either.

I would definitly donate, I'm big on blood donations etc, but in saying that, I have enough trouble getting through the day with a newborn - would I have time to muck around with expressing for someone else??

I think priorities would come into it a little. I certainly wouldn't be driving into the milk bank every couple of days, and I would want them to provide everything sterilised for me - maybe in plastic bags that I could rip open when required?

Liek the others have said - I would want the milk to go to the premmie babies too before others. Shane's SIL was expressing for about 6 weeks in hospital, it was really hard for her.

Fi

This is going to sound nasty and I don't mean it too, but for those who have said that they wouldn't use milk from a milk bank, but would donate. Whats the difference? The milk isn't good enough for your baby, but yours is good enough for others?? I don't get it.
Again, cows milk is ok, but human isn't?

What about the diet of the donor mother. What if she was a smoker or a drinker. I'm sure I've read about trace elements of these toxins in breastmilk. I don't smoke, didn't drink and I made sure I ate the best diet when I was BF so my babies would have the most benefit.
If I couldn't BF I'd consider using a milk bank but there is a lot to consider isn't there, and not just about AIDS.

That is an interesting point about the smoking etc, I would imagine that they screen the mothers and that they would need to meet a set standard. I wonder how is works in the US. I have been searching the net to try and find direct information about the milk bank and how it works but keep coming up empty handed.

I donate blood - but I wouldn't want a blood transfusion either, unless it was absolutely life or death. I dont see the difference.
I wouldn't want someones bodily fluids in my body or my babies, unless it was absolutely neccessary. But for those who need it, I would be happy to donate my milk - if I had excess and it was convenient.

People who have had piercings or tattoos can't even donate full blood for a certain period of time afterwards - I think only the platelets are used?? I would imagine milk donations would have similar restrictions. It would be scary to think what people could do, and not tell the bank about it. I would just rather not risk it.

Fiona

Heh... if you're concerned about contaminants, have a look at what cows are raised on sometime!

Kerrie

I really can't decide if I would donate or feed him of someone else milk? I guess it is a hard decision until you are in that situation.

My aunty, when she was breastfeeding, this is over 30 years ago had heaps of milk and actually donated it to the premies unit for them to drink. It was done then, why not now?

A lot of those sort of services stopped when they discovered more about communicable diseases like hepatitis et al.

Kerrie

i love this topic, it is so interesting hearing other's responses. here's mine.

i would donate breast milk and if i, for some reason, couldn't breastfeed would choose donated breast milk over formula.

i have breastfed friends and my sisters babys as have they fed mine when necessary. granted this was an easy decision as i knew them well and their practices (re no smoking, alcohol and healthy diet) were the same as mine but if the milk was pasturised i don't see the difference in drinking pasturised cow or goats milk.

hmmmm this is an interesting one.
anyone for milk and cookies?
love beckles