IMHO, I think one of the reasons that the US society looks at breastmilk
as it does all other fluids that comes from the body rather than the
gold standard of food for babies/human children.  If you think about it,
all other fluids really are somewhat disgusting when you consider oral
ingestion of them as well as the risk of transmitting illness.  It is
well documented that health care workers must protect themselves from
patients body fluids in a world that unknown diagnoses can put the
health care worker at a dangerous risk.   Universal precautions are the
current recommendations, and that means that ALL urine and ALL blood
must be considered contaminated.  I would not HESITATE to wear gloves,
mask, gown AS NEEDED to protect myself, family and other patients if I
needed to handle urine, blood or semen.  So the mind set has carried
over to human milk.  While I do not disgree that breast milk should not
be considered a biohazard, I think that each and every health care
worker should have the autonomy to decide for them selves whether or not
to wear gloves.  Large hospitals with NICU's will have much larger
volumes of breastmilk being stored and would be more similar to a milk
banking.  Why could not the refridgerator state "human milk" instead of
"biohazard"???  That is on my list of things to do.  Many more things on
the list above that.

In HMBANA 2005:
At home/child care:  May be stored in a refrigerator or freezer with
other food items.

Hospital:  Having a specific place for storing human milk protects it
and gives mothers the clear message that their milk is valued.  Human
milk is not a biological hazard and there is no requirement to label
refrigerators and freezers as such.

Info for Health Care Providers:  The Low Risk of Infection Transmission
Via Human Milk - Although human milk has the potential to carry both
viruses and bacteris, the majority of human milk poses not infectious
risk.  However, possible exposure to HIV and HTLV are of particular
concern.
 Angie Kirkwood RN, BSN, IBCLC
Nurse Feeding Specialist and Certified Lactation Consultant




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