Selling or donating breast milk is popular online, but is it safe?

BLACKFOOT — A Blackfoot female precocious posted connected a section societal media page seeking places to waste her bosom milk. She said she is producing much beverage than her premature babe could portion aliases that she tin safely store.

Her enquiry is not uncommon. Selling aliases donating bosom beverage online has go progressively popular. Numerous societal media groups nationwide person sprung up dedicated to sharing bosom beverage to thief mothers provender their infants. Facebook groups for illustration Milky Mommas Idaho and Idaho Breastmilk Donation For Babies person hundreds to thousands of users successful Idaho.

The fame of sharing bosom beverage was peculiarly evident successful 2022 during a nationwide babe look shortage, erstwhile look was some difficult to travel by and expensive. During this time, quality beverage banks reported accrued request for philanthropist milk.

Those donating online station astir giving bosom beverage arsenic a measurement to make bully usage of an overabundance, gain money and thief mothers who request it.

However, location are concerns pinch nan practice.

It is not forbidden to waste bosom beverage online. But, it is unregulated, truthful it’s “buyer beware.” The FDA warns feeding infants bosom beverage from online marketplaces tin transmit diseases aliases expose them to medicine aliases forbidden drugs, making it a nationalist wellness issue.

Registered caregiver Laura Lundquist, a certified lactation advisor astatine Mother Nurture Lactation Consulting Services successful Pocatello, said, “I get beautiful tense astir nan inclination of group trading expressed bosom beverage online done platforms for illustration Facebook and eBay. While bosom beverage is undoubtedly beneficial for infants, location are important risks progressive pinch purchasing beverage from chartless sources.”

She went on, “It’s important for parents to beryllium alert that a mother’s bosom beverage is specifically formulated for her baby, tailored to nan infant’s property and shape of development, gender, and existent wellness status. Additionally, a mother’s beverage contains antibodies produced successful real-time to protect her babe from illnesses.”

While astir lactating mothers tin nutrient capable beverage to provender their infants, conditions specified arsenic post-partum hemorrhage, past bosom surgeries, diabetes, aliases thyroid issues tin impact nan beverage supply. Hence, location is simply a request for safe philanthropist bosom milk.

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According to Lundquist, a medicine is mostly required to get donated bosom beverage from a bank. Breast beverage banks travel strict guidelines group by nan Human Milk Banking Association of North America to guarantee that nan beverage provided is safe and of nan highest value for infants, peculiarly premature aliases medically vulnerable babies.

The bosom beverage aid process includes observant screening and testing to guarantee nan beverage is not contaminated. It besides includes philanthropist wellness screening, beverage postulation and storage, screening of milk, pasteurization, post-pasteurization testing, retention and distribution.

“Even aft nan pasteurization process, bosom beverage is still amended for babies than formula. This process ensures that babies person philanthropist beverage that is arsenic safe arsenic possible, dissimilar unregulated bosom beverage obtained online,” said Lundquist.

Most hospitals person a bosom beverage aid process for their NICU units. In eastbound Idaho, Portneuf Medical Center successful Pocatello has a Mothers Milk Bank. Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center successful Idaho Falls has a bosom beverage aid center. For accusation connected nan EIRMC bank, telephone (208) 529-7171.

“Human bosom beverage is champion for babies and is simply a awesome gift to give,” said Lundquist.

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For really trading bosom milk, location are morganatic bosom beverage companies astir nan world, specified arsenic Human Milk Banking Association of North America and Mothers Milk Co-Op. Experts pass women should do their ain investigation connected specified companies.

Women concerned astir their beverage supply, whether producing excessively overmuch aliases excessively little, tin petition a consultation pinch Lundquist astatine Mother Nature Lactation Consulting.