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Subscribe to RSSGot milk? Human milk banks are experiencing an unprecedented breast-milk shortage, forcing them to turn away babies in need.
There are 10 nonprofit banks in the U.S. and one in Vancouver. Usually they can help each other out when supplies run low, but not now. “For the last four months, everyone has been struggling to find enough milk,” says Pauline Sakamoto, executive director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank in San Jose, Calif.
Donors are willing, but demand is growing faster than supply. The total supply increases 8 percent to 10 percent every year, Sakamoto says, but “the demand has just outpaced our ability to collect the milk. It’s mainstream medicine now.”
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Would you donate your breast milk?
One reason, says Kim Updegrove, executive director of the Mothers’ Milk Bank in Austin, Texas, is that “scientific research has shown irrefutably over the last few years that human milk-only feeding to these babies is critical.”
Babies (or rather, their parents) need a doctor’s prescription to obtain donor milk from the banks. The banks’ top priorities are the tiniest preemies in neonatal intensive care units as well as infants who’ve had surgery.
About half of those preemies’ moms can pump enough milk for them, Updegrove says. But pumping for a preemie in the NICU is really hard, especially for first-time moms. The stress of the NICU alone “is enough to decrease significantly the supply of milk," she said. "Instead of having the very lovely and cuddly baby to hold in your arms, you instead have this child whom you’re probably not able to touch at this point.”
Just last year, the banks had enough milk to supply babies who weren’t even in the hospital, such as infants whose mothers had a double mastectomy or the full-term babies who couldn't keep formula down but whose mothers couldn't breastfeed, says Sakamoto, herself a former donor. “I can’t serve them anymore. And as a nurse and as a mom, I can’t handle that.”
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Most donors are women who have more than enough milk to feed their own babies, Updegrove says. Occasionally, women who’ve lost a baby donate, she says. “Breast milk comes in whether you have an infant or not. They do it in honor of their deceased child.”
You don’t have to live near a milk bank to donate. Once you are screened — the main reason women are excluded from donating is if they’re taking certain medications — a milk bank will send a cooler, which you can pack up and ship back overnight at the bank’s expense. For more information about donating, go to the milk banking association’s website.
Many informal milk-sharing website have sprung up in recent years, but both Updergrove and Sakamoto urge women to consider donating to the nonprofit milk banks instead, because they prioritize the highest-need cases. For a healthy full-term infant, Updergrove points out, an extra 200 ounces of milk represents only about eight meals. For that struggling preemie, it means so much more, she said: “You could save a lot of lives by donating your milk to the milk bank.”
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I am going to donate milk. If you can, please consider doing so, too. Help those teeny ones fight off disease and complete their gestation (nervous system, among other things). Save a life with your milk!
Breast milk does not ward off disease any better than a strong immune system inherited and gained through the placenta from a healthy mother. Sorry, but I had two both formula fed who were off the charts size wise, (not fat, big kids though!), and as healthy as horses. Never sick. On oogy boogie formula...the big No-No. And "sharing" someone else's milk is exposing your child to God knows what else.
Well it's a good thing PETA didn't get their way, when making the following request to Ben & Jerry's:
WATERBURY, Vt. -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, cofounders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., urging them to replace cow's milk they use in their ice cream products with human breast milk, according to a statement recently released by a PETA spokeswoman.
"PETA's request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituting breast milk for 75 percent of the cow's milk in the food he serves," the statement says.
Source: http://www.wptz.com/r/17539127/detail.html
I believe their response was: “That’s utterly ridiculous!”
OOPS! Make that that response from Ben & Jerry's: "That's udderly ridiculous!"
Some people would just rather pump their children full of the chemicals in formula. It's just too inconveniant to breastfeed. I understand that 2% of women are physically incappable of doing so, and that is totally understandable. But science has proven that breast is best....bottom line. So ladies (Sonata particularly) how can you sit there and dismiss breastfeeding like it's not the best thing for your child? If I could still produce, I would donate in a heartbeat!! Will keep this in mind for next time.
Milk banks are very careful with the milk they share, the mothers and milk are carefully screened. And formula works fine for some children, but not ALL children and certainly not for the smallest of preemies. Formula is more difficult for any baby to digest, but for a tiny preemie it can be impossible because of their underdeveloped digestive system. Breastmilk is the only way many of these babies are able to survive.
Breast feeding is a fabulous and free gift you can give to your child. Not only is it healthier (yes Sonata, it is healthier unless the mom is a druggy or an alcoholic or on heavy medication) but it is more bonding than bottle feeding. Unless you've done both, you will never realize how true this is. How can man ever produce something that is better for us than what God (or nature if you're an atheist) created.
Breastfeeding my child until natural weaning,38 mos and 4 days, prevented many a full cold and flu. My kid got a virus for one day, and, I'd get it the full run...so..I'd love to hear the experiences of those who choose formula...you know the ones who choose not to breastfeed because they would rather smoke cigarettes and their kid ends up in the emergency room within the first month needing antibodies because mommy can't be bothered to give up her cigarettes...along with the rest of her friends? (Yep, the next generation of cigarette smokers seems formed in the womb...)
Give them formula it's just as good...La Leche freakout in 4....3....2...
Unless some formula company has come up with a way to include antibodies in its product, nope... it's not. Breastmilk contains infection-fighting antibodies (made by the mom's immune system) that can help protect preemies and other most-at-risk infants from disease, which is crucial since preemies' immune systems aren't fully developed (and even something as simple as an upper respiratory virus can be fatal)
It is true that women's breast milk does contain immunoglobulin antibodies that
help the baby fight-off infections, however this is only effective until the
baby develops their own immune system roughly around six months. Also the
amount of antibodies in the milk starts to decline after two months, which is
when most vaccines are given. So although breast milk does have its benefits
the combination of formula and vaccines are almost the same.
+1 what Shaket007 said. Plus many of the Ig's are transferred from the mother via placenta before birth. Do you know what happens when you expose a protein to 0.1N HCl, aka stomach acid?
....1. It's like a scene from MaGruber. They should offer "No lactation solicitation" stickers on hospital room doors because i sure could have used a few less pushy visits. i don't visit you to tell you how to make your personal health and body decisions so please take your soapbox, get back on your high horse and ride back on outta here.
supergiles: There is no replacement for human antibodies and proteins. Formula is not the same, and anecdotal evidence of healthy babies being rasied on formula isn't evidence it is. we're talking about the earliest and youngest in most need--not the healthiest and oldest. Reread the article.
Like I replied to someone else, tiny preemies can't have formula because their underdeveloped digestive systems can't process it. Formula may work for many normal, healthy newborns, but not for these babies.
Sorry, Shacket007, you are wrong. I went until natural weaning (38 mos 4 days) and while my child did contract cold and flu virus, the infection would only produce one day, mild symptoms in my child while I got the full force of the virus, five to seven days. Of course, I am a Stay At Home Parent and was able to infect the same time my child did, simply because I was the caregiver. We caught some dandy viruses, too. Especially the nora (or is it rota...whichever the immunization isn't for) virus that put my friend, my cousin and my child's unbreastfed cousin (same ages both healthy) in the hospital... Oh, and that cold that took three weeks, last year? My child, only one day...this is the first winter without me to help, so, it should be interesting....
Giles,
This is not about a La Leche agenda. If you notice the article talks about giving to premature infants as a priority. In the case of these babies formula is not an adequate substituition and there are studies to confirm. For a normal healthy baby, from a normal healthy mom formula is just fine. These babies need all the help they can get. Here are articles from science daily and healthchilren .org (which is ran by the American Academy of Pediatrics).
I'll see if there is a place to donate in my area, I felt like a dairy cow with my firstborn. 9 months pregnant with my second.
Along with educating women to breastfeed, hospitals could also educate women about the milk banks. I know I did not know about this when I was nursing my little one. Of course there are also some women who feel better doing peer to peer since the milk banks charge around $6 an ounce and some women would rather give the precious gift of milk to another mother who may not be able to afford several thousand dollars a month for a milk bank because I'm willing to bet most insurance companies do not cover it or at least all of it. Face it, if a baby eats 5 ounces 6 times a day, at $6 an ounce that comes to $5600 a month. Most people don't make that in a month. Even if a preemie is only eating 3 ounces, that's still $3200/month. Makes me thankful I could feed both my kids.
I am with you! My baby is 3 months and I always pump extra. I am going to look for a breast milk sharing site. I like the idea of knowing that I get to decide who gets my free milk!
I wish I had known too. I breastfed all 4 of my children and always had more than enough. You'd think the hospitals would educate mothers on banks like these at the same time they educate about breastfeeding. Obviously, it's not for everyone, but I would have done it if I were given the information.
i like the idea of giving my milk away freely also, but you have to remember two things: a) you aren't giving it to the at-risk babies like the banks are, you are giving to whomever asks; b) milk-sharing sites do not pay for donors to be tested and screened to ensure that the milk is free of any dangerous chemicals or diseases (hello, aids? you really want to take a chance on getting milk that might kill your baby?)
@Lizzie
There is no money for the hospitals in breast milk and no kick backs from big business...bottom line baby...bottom line.
I sure wish I could help out. I hope this article gets more donors.
They have human breast milk banks?
I'm 6 months pregnant, and I would donate if I had the chance. I don't have srtong enough veins to donate blood, so this could be my source of helping.
I donated while I was breastfeeding. I had oversupply and it was great to be able to help. It's super easy to do. Just look online through search. I believe I did the IBMP, but there are others. Once you apply, they hire a nurse in your area to come to your house to do a blood test to make sure you don't have a disease which would exclude you. They will send you a pump, if you need one, and once you have plenty of milk stored in your freezer, they will send you coolers for shipping it to them via overnight express mail.
If you have a newborn, it's very easy to pump one side while you nurse from the other. (In those early weeks, you usually just nurse from one side.) As your baby gets older, you can pump in the evening after baby has nursed and gone to bed. That extra can really add up and it's not a big deal for you to pump just once a day.
You mean as well as they were screening AIDS and Hepatitis-infected blood donors? For how many years before they said "oopsie"?
Newsflash people: if you have a newborn and feed it formula it will be fine. I had two, my sister had 6, and none of them had any illnesses, not even colds and the flu from all the other kids at school.
I breastfeed but not only for the immune boosting properties of my milk. It has been shown to raise IQ scores, help you bond quicker and lower childhood obesity.
It sounds like you are trying desperately to defend the decision YOU made and the language you have been using is highly provoking. No one is attacking you. Thankfully we are free to make our own choices.
sonata: no one is saying formula is unhealthy. For heaven's sake...if you want no part of helping a preemie, fine...just say no.
So untrue. Nowadays society in general make you feel guilty if you don't breastfeed. I have a healthy formula fed son who is 20 years old and not obese. My mother raised seven healthy children via formula. I was a preemie born twin and am very healthy and was always healthier than my peers. Trust me a lot of women were happy when formula was developed. As far as bonding better to the baby that is a bunch of crap. You can bond just as well with a bottle. In fact a lot of women nurse their babies because they are too lazy to get out of bed and prepare bottles. You are right it is a choice but I sick of society especially the La Leche League telling mothers what to do!
I so agree with you! My brother and I were both formula fed and my son was formula fed...we're all very healthy. My son and I have a very healthy relationship as do my brother and I with our mom. I can't tell you how many times I've been looked down apon for not breast feeding. I was my choice and I stand by it. I did NOTHING wrong!
upon...not apon...glad that formula worked out for you..
In reply to Sonata: I was also formula-fed after my mom developped a breast infection when I was 3 months old. I sure was as big as a pig after I started with formula, she said. I was all swollen, full of weird fat. As a child I was all skin and bones, and constantly sick. I sure wish I had had a few extra months of healthy breast milk.
Yes, formula can be a blessing, and life-saving sometimes, but don't forget it's also a lucrative business... and full of chemicals.
I heartily recommend breastfeeding until natural weaning. I think by all this early weaning we are allowing ourselves too many kids too closely, and, it is stressing us all out. We are spending lots of $$$ on formula and who knows where formula is being manufactured? I'm sick of hearing about all this tainted stuff from China when women are walking around with their own boobs perfectly suited for breastfeeding their very own children for whom they worked to conceive, gestate and birth. Bring the infant feeding home....
Observer99: " In fact a lot of women nurse their babies because they are too lazy to get out of bed and prepare bottles. You are right it is a choice but I sick of society especially the La Leche League telling mothers what to do!"
So now nursing your baby is being lazy? Getting up 6 times a night, up to 12 times a day to personally nurse my baby is lazy? While I could have just anybody give formula for me and I stay in bed?? Now what's lazy exactly?
The first 6 weeks of nursing 12 times a day were hell, my nipples hurt so much I would cry, and yet I kept at it because I had people encouraging me. Yes, la Leche people, as well as supporting nurses at the hospital (I was in a blessed country where they don't kick you out after 24 hours, but help you in the hospital up to 10 days). Those lactation consultants made all the difference. After that 1st month or so, it was so much of a breeze that I continued for more than a year.
La Leche League is there to counteract powerful business people and marketing expert pushing formula on women. They are there to help women nurse. That's what they do.
Breastfeeding is not as easy as it sounds, I'm not sure you ever tried yourself. Please do if you have the cojones. Oh, but, maybe that's the problem...
Milk banks are struggling because most people cannot afford to pay $6 PER OUNCE for breast milk. Insurance will most likely not even cover the fees that milk banks charge and will steer moms towards formula. If insurance won't even cover the cost of a breast pump, what makes us think that they'll cover breast milk?
Moms who need breast milk for their babies need to seek out milksharing organizations, where they can get breast milk for free or maybe for the cost of the milk storage bags (milk SHARING, not charging). Eats on Feets or Human Milk for Human Babies are great places to start.
It has been my experience a woman who isn't going to bother breastfeeding won't. Doesn't matter what insurance covers or not.
As a mom with severe IGT (Insufficient Glandular Tissue aka im the "2% of boobs that don't physically work, no matter what i do) and a milk donor recipient for my baby, I think donating milk is a very wonderful and generous thing. However, I do not agree with the article's CLEAR bias toward milk BANKS. It's saying donors shouldn't donate to informal milk sharing. Milk Banks are great but if it wasn't for informal milk sharing, my babies would not have a chance at being breastfed, except for the limited 4oz i make at my max. Mom's like me generally have full term babys. That already makes it tough to get a prescription. And even if i could get one, the milk Bank only allows a baby to have their donated milk for 3 months. Then what? Furthermore, it cost about $15 per every 100 ounces. So it's not very affordable for the average family. And most insurances wont cover it bc "there is always formula". UGH. So although i do think milk banks are good, this article should not be telling moms to only donate to the banks.
Furthermore, i realize that it can be stressful having a baby in the NICU and maybe then the mom isn't producing much milk, but why the heck are we not encouraging THE MOTHERS of these premies to breastfeed their child? In very rare circumstances i mother will be unable to do so, but thats not the norm....
I have a freezer full of milk I'm about to throw out. I looked at donating to a milkbank and its more of a headache than I'm willing to take on. You have to get bloodwork done, your doctor has to sign off on it, then you're responsible for finding dry ice to ship your milk. Since its a nonprofit I think they hope you'll cover your own shipping costs. I know some groups will cover that (like IBMP) but they work with Prolacta who then turns around and sells the milk. Seems wrong for them to charge for and make a profit from what is donated to them.
the hospital i went to in northern michigan works exclusively with grand rapids milk bank, and the milk is used only in nicu. shipping is covered at their expense and the milk is not for sale to those who just want it, only for those who truly need it. also, milk sharing is not allowed for babies in nicu, so you are basicaly refusing milk to those who need it most on the principle that it costs them money. are you also against putting babies in incubators because those cost money? what about the iv drips and oxygen tanks? everything these preemies need costs money that the parents are probably not prepared to pay, so should we just not make the services available to them? how about we go to a system akin to africa and say 'survival of the fittest'; and when we do, what will you be preaching to people when your newborn turns out to be the one in need?
Perhaps they should lift the ban on milk expressed from women who lactate as a means to lose weight - lactation uses 500+ calories a day. My co-worker kept on pumping, even after her son was eating exclusively solid foods. He's 6 years old now and she's still pumpin' and dumpin' because the milk bank won't accept her milk.
The milk produced after a child is a year old is different than the milk produced before then. Most milk banks only really accept milk produced by mother's whose babies are under a year old. I don't know how old her child was when she offered to donate, but after a year it really wouldn't have mattered anyway.
Your co-worker has been pumping milk for the last 5 years with no baby involved?? FIVE YEARS?? Did she ever realize the amount of nutriments and vitamins she was throwing from her body down the drain?? Nursing takes a toll on your body, I don't see the point of doing it after weaning your kid, unless you're helping a milk bank. It's a considerable sacrifice worth it only for a baby. Your co-worker has a serious mental issue with her weight, god knows what else she's doing to lose weight: fasting? vomiting?
Mama Tasha, please consider donating via Eats on Feets!! I am sure someone local to you could use your milk.
Why are they charging $6 per ounce if women are donating milk for free? Am I missing something or are they gouging?
It has to be stored then distributed. That costs money. there's no "price gouging".
Building rental, staff salaries, refrigerator and freezer units, utilities, pumps, transportation costs, etc. Or, do you suppose the building owner should not get rent, the staff should not get paid for their work, that companies should donate freezers, desks, paper, postage, etc. and the utilities should donate power?
I feel compelled to say "thank you" to all the heroic ladies donating your time, effort, bodies, and soul to help others. This is truly a selfless act of good-will that should be recognized. Again, I say thank you.
Start paying the woman for breastmilk, instead of expecting them to donate it! My god, we pay for semen...we don't expect men to donate semen...PAY WOMEN FOR THEIR BREAST MILK, AND YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH OF IT.
I do not have any problem with donating breast milk but, mothers in the NICU need to be encouraged to pump more. I had two 28 week infants that were in the NICU for 8 to 12 weeks. I pumped milk every few hours and breast fed those infants until they were 18 months old.
Many of the mothers in the NICU with me did not try to pump milk for their babies. Some of them did not even visit. You cannot get milk to come in, or increase milk production by pumping once a day. I saw mothers that were not interested in breastfeeding, just like with term infants. Hopefully we can change that in preemies and term infants with education.
I know there are lots of mothers like me that provided milk or provided what milk they could. (it is very difficult to produce milk without a baby)
Breastfeeding is the biological norm. Formula will never be equal to breastmilk. Breastfeeding needs to be "re-normalized". Education and public exposure is the best place to start. Many new mothers give up quickly because they have in the back of their minds that they can always go to formula if breastfeeding doesn't work out. Instead, they should go in with the mindset that it WILL work out. Many women say, "I didn't make enough milk", not knowing that colostrum is high in protein and immunities and provides everything the baby needs until the mature milk comes in. No, your baby is NOT starving because he/she is eating a lot; it's because the stomach is the size of a marble at this stage. Breastmilk is supply and demand and less than 1% of women have a true milk supply problem. I donated in the past to a stranger who became my friend and she had supply issues, but overcame them with a supplemental nursing system. She received donor milk from a few people while she had her own baby at the breast. She overcame her issues and went on to donate her surplus. Check out HM4HB online (Human Milk 4 Human Babies) on Facebook. Each state and most countries have a page! Donate or receive milk -- we are a mother-to-mother sharing network not for profit. Yes, milk banks are great too, but many women cannot afford that milk. Bottom line: human babies were made to drink human milk and it makes no sense to feed them corn syrup solids made from cow's milk!
um, Rob...you don't get corn syrup solids from milk. And vomiting, urinating and defecating is also the norm but I sure hope doing it in public doesn't go mainstream. Sorry but I know a fairly large number of women and their children who were born prematurely and fed formula and they are FINE. Stop putting a guilt trip on other people who don't choose to be milked like a cow.
Mechanical Escape, well said. And I would no sooner put another woman's bodily fluids in my baby than I would their blood. Bleeeechhhh
From all your previous posts chick, you just sound like you got an axe to grind about breastmilk. Chill out, its not like everyone is advocating drinking blood, unless you're freaky that way. If its not for you then its not for you, dont push your bias on another woman and talk down about her choices regrading feeding her child(ren). Geez. Take a chill pill!
* regarding
Formula is better. But you are so desperate to find more meaning for your boobs other than fun bags. I am all for breastfeeding in public, because I will be taking pictures of you and posting them on the internet.
My daughter was raised on formula and she's a bright, healthy intelligent child so I'm not putting any stock into the line that breast milk makes for healthier, smarter children. And there's no way that I would consider putting another person's bodily fluid into my child's bottle! That's just gross.
But why is it gross to put another woman's bodily fluid in your child, but just fine to put a random cow's bodily fluids inside?
Cow milk is for baby cows from which they eventually wean.
Epitome of Rationality: "But why is it gross to put another woman's bodily fluid in your child, but just fine to put a random cow's bodily fluids inside?"
Not to speak of what men ask women to do with men's bodily fluids... Sorry, that is so gross, but I am fed up to hear men who find natural breast-feeding "gross".
If people can't afford human milk, God help us if they use formula.
Oh wait, parents should dive into poverty just to take the "breast is best" highroad.
You breast milk people are weirdos.
Mechanical Escape
Geeze, you people who think that breast feeding is sick have a problem with women's bodies, and they are the weirdos.
Umm...I might be wrong on this one but I think women get some pleasure out of using the ol' birth canal for a little fun too! And I know a few women who like having their "fun bags" being used as a man's toy, or a women's toy for that matter. That's just a stupid quote. And sexist! I think there might be a few lesbians who'd back me up on the boobies and canal.
Oh, because formula is free? I wish I had been payed for the gallons of milk I produced for those (combined) 30 months... We saved thousands of dollars.
Breast milk has many components to it, even some that scientists have yet to understand. My choice to breastfeed my now 3 year old daughter probably saved her life. Her immune system was delayed and did not kick start until after her 2nd birthday. Because I breastfed her, she didn't get sick until after she turned 1, when she was bigger and more able to handle infections and antibiotics. There are many animal species that DIE after birth if their babies do not receive their mothers colostrum. I am not knocking on mothers who can't breastfeed, but those who can certainly should, even if it is only during their maternity leave. Any breastmilk or even just the colostrum the first few days is better than none.
You people are idiots! Use cow milk or formula! Your boobs are not that important! I know, so many of you loser women are so desperate to have some sort of meaning in your life, but face it. But your boobs are not that important. But you can email me pics if you want.
cow milk is for baby cows not people.
Cows milk is hard to digest because of the molecular structure of the proteins. Many people don't have the enzyme needed to digest cows milk. However, goats milk is a perfect substitute ( well, as close as you can get) for mothers milk. It digests easier, and is generally higher in butterfat than cows milk. I have supplied goats milk to many mothers over 30 years and never had one mother say it upset their baby's stomach. Why feed babies formula that is made form substances that you can't even pronounce?
Selmers is just single, horny, and desperate so all he can think about is "fun bags". Too bad he has no access to them, unless you count his.
actually, goats milk has the casen protien also. it is just at a lower level than cows milk which is why babies tolerate it better.