Would you use someone else's EBM??

[Heaven]

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!!

[Trillian]

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.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

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?

[NaeNae]

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.

[Liz]

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 ....

[luna moth]

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?

[~Trish~]

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).

[widdly]

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.

[Heaven]

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

[MrsFabuloso]

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.

[Mum2SweetCs]

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.

[lilima]

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.

[Diamond75]

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

[aussienic]

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

[Laranna]

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.

[Muffy]

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.

[MantaRay]

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.

[boomba]

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!