Hello again to all,

Thanks so much for the information you've shared with me about testing  
for various viruses, etc. in human milk.

My concern isn't so much for those babies who can receive banked  
milk;  obviously, that's the optimal choice for a baby in the hospital  
who needs a few ounces of supplement to tide him over until his  
mother's milk comes in, or until he and mother have overcome whatever  
circumstance is preventing breastfeeding.

However, donor milk around here is $18 for a 4 ounce bottle, which is  
definitely NOT a practical solution for the family in need of long- 
term, daily supplements of 10 ounces or more, such as a mother with  
hypoplasia or adoptive mother who is breastfeeding her baby.  My  
understanding (please correct me if I am wrong) is that donor milk  
from milk banks is really accumulated with sick, premature, or  
otherwise in need babies in mind, not the babies in families I just  
mentioned.  For those families, informal milk sharing, finding donors  
who will pump for them, may be the only viable option.  I am of the  
belief that human milk is for human babies and the thought that a  
carrier of a virus might not be an appropriate donor for her friend,  
sister, or other mother in need saddens me!  I'm glad to read about  
the tests that are out there and also encouraged by the pasteurization  
methods that some of you shared.

Again, thanks to you all!

--Diana

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