Hi Elisa,
 You wrote:
> Hi! I noticed your post on lactnet about volu feeds being nonsterile.
> Is this so??? I asked the Ross rep at our hosp and she insists they
> are vacuum packed and sterile. Do you know otherwise???? Thanks!>
Unfortunately, they aren't officially sterile but "ready to use".  I
spoke to the person in charge of that stuff at Ross today and he is
sending me specific information about the difference between the
distinctions "sterile" and "ready to use".  I will post specific info as
soon as I have it (should be in a week or so).  I was told they are
virtually sterile but seems to me I learned in basic nursing training
that a thing is either sterile or not.  For our VLBW infants it may be a
significant distinction.  What we do now is have mothers pump directly
into the sterile milk collection bottles we asked Ross to make.  But
these don't have the specific calibrations on them that the volufeeds do
for measuring.  We use them for measuring ABM too.  So it isn't just the
BRF infants that might be affected.  I think it is common practice
across this country to use them in NICUs.  What do others do?
Edie Armstrong BSN, IBCLC, Fairfax, Va.