Dear Lactnetters,
  I live in Germany and work for an American Armed Forces Hospital.  My colleague and mentor in a neighboring community has a problem that we would like your input on.  Please see below.
   
  Julie Morgan, RD, CNSD
  Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
  Landstuhl Germany
   
  A soldier working in an outlying clinic wants to breastfeed.  The clinic supports her, however, she has been told that she can not store her breastmilk in a common staff refrigerator by the infection control folks.  The CDC has stated that there are no special considerations for handling breastmilk on this site: http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/disease/hiv.htm   
  Are special precautions needed for handling breast milk?
No special precautions exist for handling expressed human milk, nor does the milk require special labeling. It is not considered a biohazard. The Universal Precautions to prevent the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis B virus, and other bloodborne pathogens do not apply to human milk.
   
  The infection control folks are clasifying breastmilk as a bodily fluid rather than food.  
   
  Does your NICU store expressed breastmilk in with formula?  How have you seen this handled in the past?  I realize that there are facilites that have the resources to set aside a refrigerator for breastmilk only.  But I don't feel we should harass a mother who is already working hard to pump and provide her baby the best.   
   
  The infection control consultant to the Surgeon General agrees that breastmilk is not to be treated as a bloodborne pathogen but "most employees do not want someon'e breastmilk in the refrigerator next to their tuna salad sandwich.  This made me furious because some of the food items I have seen in my local refrigerator are such that I don't really want to store my lunch next to them.  So I place my lunch in a container to keep it separate.  Much as I am sure this soldier was willing to.  Please, any light you might be able to shed on this would be appreciated.



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