Martha wrote: "if no one made formula, we would rely on banked milk. As a
business, it would flourish (or perhaps be more like the blood banking
system, supported primarily by donations but sold
on the open market)."

I think about this argument sometimes, and I probably don't have as good an
understanding of the supply/demand mechanism driving marketing (well, I know
I don't, I'm kinda naive), but what I fear would happen, if banked milk were
the only alternative to artificial formula, is that poor women would be
essentially "forced" or "driven" into selling their milk. (and possibly
short-changing their own infants in the process, by giving them NOT the
"4th-best or 6th-best" food, but stuff way farther down the line than infant
formula.)

How is that bad? Might it not lead to more non-wealthy women nursing their
own babies, thereby decreasing the demand for formula, etc.? Perhaps - but
it really concerns me to think of the implications of women *selling*
breastmilk. Runs a little too close to prostitution for me, or
baby-selling...Not necessarily a bad idea, in theory, but leading to all
kinds of other problems (at least where it's illegal - don't know about
other places). Human rights violations, women's rights violations, etc...

I don't know, it just scares me. I'm sure others here are far more
articulate and well-thought-out on the matter.

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC
Ithaca

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