Hi,
I would like to ask some advice from those of you who work in hospitals & distribute donated EBM. I work independently and although I am not attached to a hospital I do see my husbands (O&G) post partum mothers to assist with breastfeeding while they are still in the hospital. I was recently helping a mother whose baby had been admitted to SCBU with elevated bilirubin levels. The nurse in charge of the unit felt that the mother had insufficient milk supply and offered to give excess breast milk from another mother to the jaundiced baby. I was unhappy about the baby having the milk unless the mother donating the milk had at least been tested for Hep. B (which is very prevalent in Malaysia) & HIV. The nurse seemed very surprised by this, and announced that she had no idea about the mother's status but the milk was used by the mothers own baby & others and therefore should not be a problem.  Most babies here are vaccinated against Hep. B the day after birth.l got the impression that the nursing staff thought I was very over fussy.The hospital is working towards BFHI and I think in this instance was being a little over enthuisiastic. What do the rest of you think? I feel the same nurse would never consider giving untested blood!
We have no milk banks in this country. Thanks for your suggestions. 
Christine Choong
SRN. SCM. IBCLC. Dip.Childbirth Education
Malaysia

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