In a message dated 1/26/2006 9:06:33 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/parenting/01/26/btsc.cohen.breastmilk/index.htm
l




As one of the moms who depended on milk from my friend, I have to  chuckle at 
this newscaster's wide eyed epiphany at "milk-sharing".  For  those who don't 
know, my daughter Cate struggled to gain any weight from my milk  alone 
(because of post gastric bypass issues) but I wanted to avoid breastmilk  
substitute by any means necessary.  I was becoming increasingly worried  that "formula" 
may be the only answer for me, then a wonderful friend in my LLL  group 
volunteered to nurse my baby. (This was decided between us, LLL was not a  factor 
in the decision~disclaimer).  My daughter gained weight, thrived and  made it 
through healthier and happier than if I were to give her ABM.   Instead of 
feeling ill at ease, I was comforted by her willingness to ensure the  health of 
my baby.  Through this experience I found many women who "milk  share" albeit 
secretively.  I remember telling an IBCLC friend what I was  doing and she told 
me how years ago as a nurse on OB, one of the docs was unable  to nurse her 
own baby so she would pump and supply the doc with milk to feed her  baby.  She 
said it felt almost like a drug deal, they met in a closet and  exchanged the 
paper bag of EBM.  LOL.  No one ever knew.  The  same woman who I credit with 
saving Cate's life also truly saved another  baby.  This particular baby was 
an adopted child, born to meth addicted  mother, and adopted by the aunt of 
the birth mom.  This child had problems  with every known formula.  She would 
feed 4 oz and she would projectile  vomit 3.5 oz of it easily.  The poor babe 
was LOSING weight and even the GI  doc didn't know what else to do.  My friend 
and I looked at each other and  both said, "She needs human milk".  We told her 
what we had been doing,  being acquainted with my friend prior to this, she 
felt she had nothing to lose  so my friend began to pump for this baby.  We all 
cried as this baby drank  4 oz of her EBM and every bit of it stayed 
down..not one bit spit up.   Within a week, she had GAINED weight, and now the 4 
girls, (my friend's twins,  my daughter, and the other little girl) are all 
playmates and are all roughly  the same size.  Happy and healthy.  We joke that this 
woman could  literally breastfeed quadruplets.  Though she doesn't want to be 
jynxed  lol.  I have a lot of respect for milk sharing.  I agree that you have 
 to be careful who you are getting your milk from.  I wonder about perfect  
strangers, if I were going that route, I would try and use a milk bank.   
However, if it is my sister, my friend etc.  I think I can judge by their  
lifestyles how safe their milk is.  I also find it difficult to believe  that a drug 
addict or someone using other risky behaviours are going to be  breastfeeding 
and donating anyway.  Too much work, they have more  "important" things on 
their mind, if you know what I mean.
 
No one will ever convince me that milk sharing is wrong.  My  healthy happy 
daughter is proof otherwise.
 
 

 (http://www.snugglepie.com/) 

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