I was reading a Newsweek article about Milk banks. If you don't know what they are, no worries, it was something new to me as well. Milk banks are places where parents who cannot lactate ( either because they are adaptive parents, or male, etc...) can get the antibody, vitamin rich breast milk of another woman. These breast milk products are screened just like blood products are since you can catch viruses and other things through breast milk. But it cost 3$ an oz and since babies drink approximately 30 ounces a day, it could get a bit expensive.
Fortunately, I guess, some of these parents found other avenues that would cost them...well...nothing. There are women in the U.S. who want to share freely with others of their milk. They produce more than enough for their own child and want to give all the excess away instead of it going to waste. The problem with this is, it's very hard to screen for diseases and other illnesses. You are not practically guarantee safe nourishment for you child.
I found the concept interesting. It just never occurred to me before that this was something that occurred. It's true that breast milk is a baby's best option, but still the idea of getting it from someone else, if I was not able to provide it for my child, is such a foreign concept to me. I asked myself after reading it whether I would ever purchase breast milk and I cannot imagine doing so. I myself was only breastfed once. My mother was sick after she gave birth to me and the doctors advised her that for my benefit, she should not breastfeed me. I consider myself to be a pretty healthy person. Perhaps if I was not, I would feel very strongly about using breast banks. Perhaps it's because I am not yet a mother and cannot understand the drive to provide the best of everything for my child no matter what. Or perhaps it's because being a husbandless/childless independent adult, I've become a bit selfish in my thoughts and feelings. It could be for a number of reasons why I have a hard time imagining myself being one of the parents who use breast milk banks.
I am not against the idea at all. I think it's great that parents have that option available to them. And I think it's great that there are people out there who are willing to share so much of themselves to help someone else. I am just saying that I don't know if I would use one. Would you? Could you?
Here are a few links if you want to find out some of the benefits of breastfeeding as well as the link to the Newsweek article.
http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/benefits.asp
http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/06/16/others-milk.html#
