Other people's breast milk....

There is about to be a documentary presented by Kate Garraway on breast milk and the practice of sharing it, selling it feeding each other's children etc etc. What are your views.

To start off mine are that although culturally it feels a bit weird to me as a concept and I don't think I could have let anyone else actively breast feed my son, historically breast milk has been known to help even the elderly in extreme circumstances, it'd nutritious and delicious! Lol! i do get the whole argument that it seems strange that as a culture we readily accept the idea of drinking milk from a four legged animal that ultimately they produce to feed their offspring yet the idea of it coming from a human makes us throw our arms up in the air, maybe it's because we link the breast with sexuality in our minds still? Personally if I hadn't been able to breast feed and it was affordable, I would have looked into the option of buying someone else's milk. Still though it does feel weird just thinking about it!

I don't know that I'd like the idea of my baby nursing off another woman to get her breast milk, but I'm not opposed to it being expressed and sold or donated to mother's who can't breast feed but want there babies to be fed with breast milk.

I was very lucky that I was able to breast feed Aaralyn until she was 8 months old, so I never had to consider other options... I'm pro breastfeeding all the way, but I also don't think there's anything wrong with feeding babies formula either, if someone wants to get milk from another woman to feed her baby, then so be it too!

Do you think if you hadn't been so lucky and you could have afforded to explore the option you would have bought expressed milk?

I may have I think (although, financially it probably wouldn't have been an option if I had to pay for it).

If I were to use another woman's milk to feed my baby I would want to know what kind of lifestyle this person had and know they were tested negative for any drugs or nicotine... so yea, I think I probably would explore the option if it were available.

I'd be interested in seeing the documentary although I assume it's only shown on UK television??

Probably but i expect you will be able to find it on You tube when it's been on. It airs here on C$ on 9th Sept at 10pm. It's caused quite a hoo ha from the publicity shots though! I coould load it on to youtube for you if you want?

That'd be great if you would hun! Thank you, I'm sure it will be an interesting watch!

hannah81 said:
Probably but i expect you will be able to find it on You tube when it's been on. It airs here on C$ on 9th Sept at 10pm. It's caused quite a hoo ha from the publicity shots though! I coould load it on to youtube for you if you want?

im loking forward to seeing that, i woulkd have loved to feed my babys with my own milk but i was unable to produce enough to feed an ant!!!

I would have jumped at the chance of getting b/milk, bought in of course, i so wanted to do that but i bottlefed.

I wouldnt particulalrly like the idea of my babies nursing from another mummy but if it came to it id perhaps consider it

It is a very interesting topic. I think there are so many ways of looking at this, and tbh i'm not sure what camp i fall into? I know i wouldn't want another woman to have nursed my baby as i don't think it is just about feeding when you nurse. For me, when i was nursing Jake, it was all about bonding, not just for me but for Jake too. Him getting to know me, my smell and getting to know each others little ways. I would find it hard knowing he recognised the smell and comfort of another woman who wasn't his mum. I believe the 'surrogate' as well as the baby would have some sort of bond? However, breast milk for sale is a different thing. As tammy said i wouldn't be opposed to this completely but would have to know an awful lot about the woman the milk was coming from. I don't know i would be able to find enough information out about the woman to make me feel comfortable with using her milk? Maybe if it was a friend or relative?
I will watch the programme as i do think it is a incredibly interesting topic, and i know we do have breast banks in this country that are used to feed preemies in hospital scbu's. Xx

I don't think having anyone elses milk to feed my baby would have been an option for me. Once I couldn't express anymore (after 3 months with Jas) formula was just fine.

I would also be concerned with the persons lifestyle, eating habits, etc.

Mind you, wasn't that what a 'wet nurse' was years ago to help the lady of the manor in feeding her children? I also think it happens a lot in other cultures.

kristag said:
I don't think having anyone elses milk to feed my baby would have been an option for me. Once I couldn't express anymore (after 3 months with Jas) formula was just fine.

I would also be concerned with the persons lifestyle, eating habits, etc.

Mind you, wasn't that what a 'wet nurse' was years ago to help the lady of the manor in feeding her children? I also think it happens a lot in other cultures.

i beleive they routinely do this in other countrys

I could see it being a niche market for some people. There is no way that they'd be able to match the production we get from cows/goats and nor would it match the price.

Could you imagine the production line? LOL

With animals it is possible to control most factors, but as is always the case you can't control a person. So they could do things to themselves that are beyond the control of people producing the product.

i read an article tother day with kate garraway. she said she met with groups of people who would sit and feed their baby then pass it on to the next person. i dont agree with that if u can bfeed your own then do it.
but on the other side of it, i had a friend who produced alot of milk so donated to her local scbu to feed preemies, which i thinks fine, like they say 'breast is best'.

This issue reminds me of my cat and the new kitten we just adopted from the parking lot of a diner. My cat is an adult now and hasn't been fixed and she hasn't had any kittens herself. But, she took this kitten in as her own. She's breast feeding.
Why is this relevant? The cats are instinctive creatures that act before questioning moral values and proper ways. We are also creatures that have instincts, but we question, moralize, and process thoughts that are most irrational and create global fear with them. I say do whatever it takes to raise a child in the healthiest ways.
The only thing that you have to watch for is what is in the milk of that woman. Does she smoke? Does she eat healthy? Does she take medication? And, are there any contagious diseases such as aids in the milk?
You also have to take in consideration of what to do when there is a serrogate pregnancy. Who breast feeds? Even the nonpregnant woman can develop the milk hormone when stimulated to breast feed. It has been done.

My grandmother used to breast feed her neighbours children in Italy.Her neighbour was terminally ill and didnt have any milk and the war was on she said it was quite common back then.

I maybe would have had issues about it BEFORE having children, but now I have children I see a different side.

I know that babies are given other womens breast milk in special care etc, if the mum can't give her own, so to me, what is the diference when they aren't in special care?

Like has already been said, wet nurses were common in high society in times gone by and are common in other countries. I think a lot of it is prudeness nowadays.

have i missed this ??

when is it on ??

No Hon it's on tomorrow at 10pm on C4. Should be a good one, it's started a nice healthy debate in loads of places.

yes it certainly has

thank you

Did you all watch it? what did you think about the whole thing? I'll be adding it to you tube over the weekend for those over the water x

i watched it it was very interesting