The posts about what to do with formula that arrives unannounced on one's
doorstep poses an ethical dilemma for some who do not feel it should be
donated to anyone group or individual.  I had this problem as a new mother
(and wife of an MD).  Without being asked, I received three cases (all from
different companies).

I contacted the local Visiting Nurses group (they did visits to all new
mothers in our county at no cost to them).  I offered the formula to them
(I had no use for it, obviously) and INSISTED they reserve it ONLY for
those mothers who could not afford to buy it and had opted to not
breastfeed.  My contact there at her next visit to me said that is what
they did.

HOWEVER, I agree with the posters who feel that such donation implies that
formula is ok to give to babies.  I am not sure I would ever offer it to a
vet hospital, since those non-human babies need THEIR species-specific milk
and forms of it are already available in cans as kitten replacement milk,
etc.

I now opt for sending it back COD--which means the recipient (persons who
sent it in the first place) have to pay the postage on it.

Finally, I have a question for the docs on this list.  I, for one, am VERY
allergic to bovine products, particularly cow milk. (I can eat some hard
cheeses without a reaction).  If I were under anesthesia and someone used
sterile cow milk in my body in an organ OTHER than my stomach or bowels,
would I NOT have a reaction?  Cow milk gives me terrible diarrhea.  I would
hate to think that I could be unconscious and inadvertently exposed to a
substance that causes such a violent reaction when taken orally.  Please
advise (privately, if you prefer).


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"We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly
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Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask]
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