On 2011-06-30, at 8:44 AM, Linda Hill wrote:

> "What we don't know is whether the women who are donating milk could be
> donors to milk banks. Many involved in sharing their milk to a peer are in
> locations where there is no milk bank to donate to. Many might also not
> qualify because they are outside the donor criteria. Perhaps some of the
> milk banking people here on Lactnet might like to comment on whether they
> have seen a drop in donations that they feel might be due to peer-to-peer
> milk sharing.
> 
> Karleen Gribble"
> 
> 
> 
> Karleen,
> 
> 
> 
> There is currently a "national shortage of milk" in all the milk banks.
> And, conversely, there is a national increase in "mom to mom" informal milk
> sharing.  So, at this point, we can only assume that the one is affecting
> the other.  
> 
> 
> 
> Linda Hill RN, IBCLC
> 
> Austin, Tx
> 
> (Board member Austin milk bank) 
> 

With respect, for North America, more data is needed. 18 months ago there were well-intentioned but somewhat misguided calls to donate human milk to Haiti, which in turn led to HMBANA milk banks noting the need for donor milk here in in North America. That must have resulted in an increase in donors over the usual number. Then, unless those new donors were replaced with more new donors over and above the usual number of donors, (because when your baby reaches - is it  1 year of age? you can't donate to a HMBANA milk bank), there would be a decline in donors. 

Also, one assumes the new milk that came in didn't go to waste - our milk banks and others have been doing an excellent job of convincing more and more doctors and hospitals to use donor milk. Could it be a greater demand was created? And when those donor numbers dropped off did that  create a resulting shortage? That happened right about the time the new global Facebook-based milksharing network started getting lots of attention.

And we need even yet more data before we can get a true picture of what is happening in North America. How much milk is donated through the network of milk banks affiliated with Prolacta? How much milk is Prolacta putting into the system? How much expansion has the available of the Prolacta milk created?

-- Jodine Chase
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
(past volunteer, HM4HB)

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