Donor Milk Instead Of Formula?

[Nibblenic]

That was on some BBC/teen/documentary or the like.

The girl was making up a bottle for her baby and said its just powdered breastmilk.

 

[Lightworker]

That was on some BBC/teen/documentary or the like.

The girl was making up a bottle for her baby and said its just powdered breastmilk.

I want to laugh, and cry at the same time. Thats just bananas..powedered breastmilk..oh dear

 

[Thumper]

Can you imagine just how expensive it would be if it were powdered breastmilk?! Yikes

 

[Nibblenic]

Could you even powder breast milk?

 

[Blah11]

^ I'm sure you could.

I watched that docu too, I'm sure it was on 16 and pregnant or something. I remember face palming at the tv

 

[Olivias_mum]

I have never liked the thought my baby having donor milk and tbh thought it was a bit strange and then grace came along and changed everything!she weighed 1lb 13oz and developed NEC (an infection that basically kills the bowel) and is extremely life threatening. She developed nec after my milk dried up and she went on formula,one of the few things they know about nec is that breast milk can help protect against it. Her bowel started dying and she had 2 ops. She then went on donor milk for the next 2 months. I am eternally grateful to all the mummys who give our tiny babies life through their milk xx

 

[summer rain]

That was on some BBC/teen/documentary or the like.

The girl was making up a bottle for her baby and said its just powdered breastmilk.

I heard it from a peer supporter; she said some young girls in her area had actually said this to her regarding Aptamil specifically so maybe its a fairly common belief?

 

[summer rain]

I was aware of it. I suppose I would perhaps consider it in some instances but to be honest, formula isn't actually THAT bad that you should be avoiding it at all costs...

That's exactly the point though. It's not about 'avoiding formula at all costs', it's about the next, natural alternative to a mother's own breastmilk.

Formula is an adequate breastmilk substitute, but it should be just that ideally, a substitute for when women are unable to or do not wish to breastfeed. Instead, it is seen as a perfectly acceptable alternative to breastmilk and in fact, in one survey 30% of the population thought formula was as good as, or better than breastmilk.

I have heard anecdotally that some women believe aptamil to even contain powdered breastmilk

Sometimes I despair! The claims aptamil make of being 'closest to breastmilk' don't exactly help though.

Oh don't worry, they don't claim to be closest to breastmilk anymore (yet they can be sure HCPs will be spouting that line for the next 20 years anyway); instead they claim to be 'THE BEST milk if not breastfeeding, or combining breastfeeding with bottlefeeding', so they have covered all their bases there, I have even seen posts on baby and bump even where ladies have said only aptamil is suitable for combi feeding as it says it on the box

 

[patch2006uk]

I was aware of it. I suppose I would perhaps consider it in some instances but to be honest, formula isn't actually THAT bad that you should be avoiding it at all costs...

That's exactly the point though. It's not about 'avoiding formula at all costs', it's about the next, natural alternative to a mother's own breastmilk.

Formula is an adequate breastmilk substitute, but it should be just that ideally, a substitute for when women are unable to or do not wish to breastfeed. Instead, it is seen as a perfectly acceptable alternative to breastmilk and in fact, in one survey 30% of the population thought formula was as good as, or better than breastmilk.

I have heard anecdotally that some women believe aptamil to even contain powdered breastmilk

Sometimes I despair! The claims aptamil make of being 'closest to breastmilk' don't exactly help though.

Oh don't worry, they don't claim to be closest to breastmilk anymore (yet they can be sure HCPs will be spouting that line for the next 20 years anyway); instead they claim to be 'THE BEST milk if not breastfeeding, or combining breastfeeding with bottlefeeding', so they have covered all their bases there, I have even seen posts on baby and bump even where ladies have said only aptamil is suitable for combi feeding as it says it on the box

 

[Eve]

I would use donor milk if I wasn't able to breastfeed my child. I feel the benefits of breast milk outweigh formula by far. I would also donate/wet nurse if asked or given the opportunity. Breast milk is very important to a baby's growth and development and I think we really need to get over the negative thoughts and feelings and consider it normal, as it is just that, normal. My grandmother nursed another child other than her own and I told her I was very proud It's an amazing and selfless thing to do

 

[Eve]

That was on some BBC/teen/documentary or the like.

The girl was making up a bottle for her baby and said its just powdered breastmilk.

I heard it from a peer supporter; she said some young girls in her area had actually said this to her regarding Aptamil specifically so maybe its a fairly common belief?

Wow... that is a shame.

 

[Ashley8806]

I don't think I would feel comfortable using another womans breastmilk for my child, and definately wouldn't be comfortable with a wet nurse.... but that's just me. If I am unable to breastfeed, I will try pumping, and if that doesn't work I will go to formula just like my first I also would not feel comfortable breastfeeding another persons baby. My cousin just had her baby and he is in the NICU, and is bing tube fed. He BF for a day before going to the NICU, so he knows what it is. And as I was holding him today, he kept trying to get to my boob! lol I felt a bit awkward, I can't imagine having a strangers baby either. But that's just me

 

[lisaf]

We don't have the same brands of formula here, but one of them sent out an advert to me that showed pictures of BF baby poop.. .formula fed baby poop, and then THEIR formula baby poop... to show how much closer it was to breastmilk, lol. It was quite convincing because it looked WAY more like the BF poop than the formula poop.

I have a big stash of formula from all kinds of freebies I was given. Trying to find someone who needs it before it goes bad!

 

[Nibblenic]

We don't have the same brands of formula here, but one of them sent out an advert to me that showed pictures of BF baby poop.. .formula fed baby poop, and then THEIR formula baby poop... to show how much closer it was to breastmilk, lol. It was quite convincing because it looked WAY more like the BF poop than the formula poop.

I have a big stash of formula from all kinds of freebies I was given. Trying to find someone who needs it before it goes bad!

What the hell! It must have taken a long time to poop match!

 

[discoclare]

I haven't read the whole thread. My mum was a milk donor in the 70s when she had me as she had loads of milk and found expressing easy. She only did it for a few weeks though as then she stopped breastfeeding me ("because you were too greedy and always wanted feeding" ) <----it was the 70s and BFing wasn't "trendy" or popular and she didn't really know what she was doing. I think milk donation is a good thing and if my child was prem and I didn't have my milk I would accept screened donor milk. I'm not against formula though and used formula for my DD after 7 months when I stopped BFing in preparation for returning to work (I was always useless at pumping and never had brilliant supply so couldn't express enough for her).

I would take formula over a wet nurse. I don't think there's anything "icky" about another woman nursing your baby or me nursing someone else's baby (my friend's grandmother was actually a wet nurse in Russia!). My problem with wet nurses is the worry of exposure to viruses (such as HIV) as it's harder to regularly screen a walking, moving human than expressed milk .

 

[summer rain]

I was aware of it. I suppose I would perhaps consider it in some instances but to be honest, formula isn't actually THAT bad that you should be avoiding it at all costs...

That's exactly the point though. It's not about 'avoiding formula at all costs', it's about the next, natural alternative to a mother's own breastmilk.

Formula is an adequate breastmilk substitute, but it should be just that ideally, a substitute for when women are unable to or do not wish to breastfeed. Instead, it is seen as a perfectly acceptable alternative to breastmilk and in fact, in one survey 30% of the population thought formula was as good as, or better than breastmilk.

I have heard anecdotally that some women believe aptamil to even contain powdered breastmilk

Sometimes I despair! The claims aptamil make of being 'closest to breastmilk' don't exactly help though.

Oh don't worry, they don't claim to be closest to breastmilk anymore (yet they can be sure HCPs will be spouting that line for the next 20 years anyway); instead they claim to be 'THE BEST milk if not breastfeeding, or combining breastfeeding with bottlefeeding', so they have covered all their bases there, I have even seen posts on baby and bump even where ladies have said only aptamil is suitable for combi feeding as it says it on the box

lol I said 'even' twice

 

[lovealittle1]

I would definatley choose donor milk over formula any day if something prevented me from BFing. Human milk for human babies.

 

[Linzi]

If the mother had been fully screened then I wouldn't have an issue using donor breast milk too feed my baby if it was available in my area, I feel the benefits of breast milk are more than formula, I am not by any way or means saying formula is bad (we use formula now ) I am just saying if I had the choice of the 2 infront of me I would go for the breast milk first as I feel it has more benefits

yup I was aware that milk sharing already goes on, I just think it is a shame it isn't more readily available

nicu or full term, wouldn't make a difference, if I had the choice available in my area I would most certainly consider it

I looked into donating milk when I was breast feeding little man but sadly there were no local organisations close too me, and donor milk is something I couldn't consider for little man as he is dairy & soya intolerant so I had too cut out dairy & soya from my diet when feeding him to avoid it being passed over too him, I think I would be hard pushed too find a dairy & soya free donor

shame you arent closer!!

Im looking at donating now, to local women and also a SCBU at a hospital nearby. Don't see why I shouldn't put it to good use while I can I wouldn't hesitate using donor milk for my child, but I dont think I could use a wet nurse. Just because I find breastfeeding such a lovely 'bonding' thing to do, I wouldnt want them to do it with anyone else iykwim x

 

[Ashley8806]

What do you ladies feel about selling your breast milk? I know there are a few people around here who sell it. But I'm not real sure how I feel about it

 

[freckleonear]

What do you ladies feel about selling your breast milk? I know there are a few people around here who sell it. But I'm not real sure how I feel about it

I do not agree with selling breastmilk. Safe milk sharing relies on trust and complete honesty, so introducing money into the equation compromises that safety. It could also negatively impact the donating woman's own child.