Milk.
Well, I woke up this morning to see THIS on the news.
Of course being a breastfeeding mother I have thoughts on this matter. While I have not sought out donor milk nor have a donated milk, I have heard of donor milk.
Donated milk CAN be safe. Donor milk CAN be beneficial. It is all about how the milk is handled when it is expressed, who the milk is coming from and how the milk is handled when being prepared to give to a baby.
This article says that even some of the frozen milk was contaminated, which to me, puts out an image that mothers shouldn't freeze their milk for their own use with their babies for the fear that it may be contaminated.
This article also is talking about milk that has to be shipped. Basic knowledge of milk storing says that frozen milk is only good for a certain amount of time and once the milk is thawed it is only good for a certain amount of time.
Many sites offer donor milk within close communities. For example, if I took a bag of my frozen breast milk that I just pumped and stored in September, and donated it to a mother in need who was from one town over and we met up and exchanged the milk and she used my milk within 2 days. Many donor sites are not talking about shipped breast milk across the country and hoping for the best. They are dealing with mothers meeting up and having an exchange within close communities.
Of course, this study is going to be a huge boost for formula companies as they will likely use this as to say: "Don't give your baby contaminated milk, use safe formula instead!".... That is what this stidy is suggesting...that mothers shouldn't risk it with breast milk but rather use formula. But, lets be honest, formula has so much crap in it that people do not even realize.
Anyways, there are legitimate milk banks that screen their donors and screen the breast milk and are very safe. I am hoping this study does not scare off mothers seeking donor milk - although I think the findings do seem scary and paint milk donating with a broad brush - which is unfair.
Of course being a breastfeeding mother I have thoughts on this matter. While I have not sought out donor milk nor have a donated milk, I have heard of donor milk.
Donated milk CAN be safe. Donor milk CAN be beneficial. It is all about how the milk is handled when it is expressed, who the milk is coming from and how the milk is handled when being prepared to give to a baby.
This article says that even some of the frozen milk was contaminated, which to me, puts out an image that mothers shouldn't freeze their milk for their own use with their babies for the fear that it may be contaminated.
This article also is talking about milk that has to be shipped. Basic knowledge of milk storing says that frozen milk is only good for a certain amount of time and once the milk is thawed it is only good for a certain amount of time.
Many sites offer donor milk within close communities. For example, if I took a bag of my frozen breast milk that I just pumped and stored in September, and donated it to a mother in need who was from one town over and we met up and exchanged the milk and she used my milk within 2 days. Many donor sites are not talking about shipped breast milk across the country and hoping for the best. They are dealing with mothers meeting up and having an exchange within close communities.
Of course, this study is going to be a huge boost for formula companies as they will likely use this as to say: "Don't give your baby contaminated milk, use safe formula instead!".... That is what this stidy is suggesting...that mothers shouldn't risk it with breast milk but rather use formula. But, lets be honest, formula has so much crap in it that people do not even realize.
Anyways, there are legitimate milk banks that screen their donors and screen the breast milk and are very safe. I am hoping this study does not scare off mothers seeking donor milk - although I think the findings do seem scary and paint milk donating with a broad brush - which is unfair.
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