Do you like that terminology better Morgan??
I think that the discussion about peer to peer milk sharing has much in
common with discussion of bedsharing with infants- in that it's something
that one cannot outright recommend because it depends on the situation. I've
given many interviews over the years to journalists about bedsharing and
many have wanted me to say that it's safe and parents should do it. I won't.
Why?? Because we know that there are situations in which bed sharing is not
safe. What I do do is state that there are good reasons why mothers share
sleep surfaces with their infants, that they should be given information
about how to manage the risks of bed sharing and then that it is up to
parents to look at their individual circumstances and make their decision
about where their baby sleeps and what that environment looks like. It's
much the same with milk sharing. Mothers have good reasons why they might
want to use donor human milk from a peer. They should be given information
about how to manage the risks of sharing milk and then it's up to them to
decide what to do. No professional needs to endorse milk sharing, nor do
they need to condemn it. It is entirely possible for professionals asked to
provide comment to recognised why women might want to obtain human milk via
peers (banked donor milk unavailable, infant formula deficient), how they
might manage the risks associated with peer to peer milk sharing
(recognising that the risks are manageable) and that it's up to parents to
decide what to do.
Karleen Gribble
Australia
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