In a message dated 97-08-27 20:36:47 EDT, you write:

>"After collecting, store the breastmilk in special plastic bags, plastic
>bottles, or glass bottles.  "
>Is it still reccommended to store breastmilk in glass?? I thought it was
>not receommended to store breastmilk in glass?

Hi Cindy and all you Netters.  I am in the midst of writing an article all
about C, S, F, of human milk, going back throughout the history of it to the
present.  It is facinating.  Back in the 70's, we use to say keep fresh human
milk in plastic, because the studies then showed that the leukocytes
collected along the side of the glass and we then thought lost.  Well, Garza
then did research in the late 70's that proved the leukocytes after
collecting along the side of the glass would fall back in after a period of
time.  Now, let us really confuse the poor moms that are already stressed out
and tell her if she plans to feed the baby immediately, then collect her
fresh milk in plastic.  If she does not plan to feed the baby right away,
then she can collect her milk in glass.  HELP!!!!
  Garza has also shown that with fresh milk, IgA can be decreased up to 60%
stored in polyethylene, plastic bags.  Now the study was done in the 70's, on
fresh milk, and using gerber bags. (which at that time, were not designed for
freezing breast milk)  That is why the MILK BANK Guidelines for the NICU baby
or hospitalized baby should receive milk that is stored in glass.  Mind you
though that that is on fresh milk.  Nothing has been done on frozen milk.
 Does not matter which is used for the normal newborn.  Hopefully, I will get
my work completed and it will be out next year.  Stay tuned for more changes
in the following years that more is continuously revealed.  No wonder moms
are soooooo confused.

Pat Bull, RN, IBCLC
The Breastfeeding  Connection/Medela
Naperville, IL