Thanks everyone for your very supportive comments.  I have forwarded them on to the woman who will be making her decisions very soon.
The suggestion that the baby could be given pasteurised banked milk has been made.  I want to comment on that because milk banking is not yet available in Australia.
The Australian College of Paediatrics has recently set up a working group chaired by Dr Neil Roy (head of neonatology at the Royal Womens Hospital in Melbourne) to develop guidelines for milk banking.  This is a great step which has come after several years of discussion and lobbying. 

So thanks for your help and support.
Joy Johnston
Midwife and lactation consultant
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www.webrider.net.au/~aitex/joy.htm