My friend and I that I work with were both pregnant at the same time. My baby is on formula ( I breast fed with the last child and it was too painful) and she is breast feeding. During the day when she is away from her baby she uses a breast pump and throws away the milk. She doesn’t need it. Anyway so she offered it to me for my baby. She eats way healthier than I do and I think I should try it. Give me some feedback please.
October 29th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Wow. Reading some of these answers reminded me how hard the formula companies worked to make us think that bottles of formula are sterile, and that milk from our bodies is not. On the contrary, breastmilk IS sterile, formula is not, and your friend’s milk is far healthier than formula. If any kind soul offers you milk, take it! And to answer a question above, yes I would prefer to drink human milk over formula. Have you ever tasted the two? Milk is far better!
October 29th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Personally, I’d go for it. I breast fed my daughter and I know how important it is… I know there can be some concern about potential diseases and whatnot, but if you know her really well and even know a bit of her medical history and feel comfortable with it, I’d go for it. Just use the milk up within a day or so… it’ll go bad after a bit. Or you can freeze it. It’s supposed to be good for up to 3 months in the freezer. Goodluck!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Well, I am no doctor, but wet nursing was a common practice back in the eighteen hundreds. As long as your friend is very healthy, and your baby likes the milk, I see no harm in it, however, someone else may find this very weird in this day and age.
October 29th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Breast milk is best…………….however i would not use anyones but your own due to the fact that hepatitis c and hiv/aids can be passed through breast milk….i couldnt live with myself if i ever made my child deathly ill…..stick with formula it is perfectly healthy
October 29th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Definately! Milk is milk, as long as she’s not doing anything harmful I would use it. I have breastfed many babies when their mom’s were gone (yes the mom’s knew!). It’s not a bit weird. It’s free, and way better for your baby! My sister is adopting a baby and she’s pumping to get her milk back, but I’ve also frozen some of my milk for her baby to have. Definately take it!!
October 30th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Well, it would be better for your baby. I say go for it, but your reasons for not breastfeeding are a bit selfish. That is a very generous friend who will give you milk even though you could make it yourself.
What you really need to do is overcome your pain and get your baby back to the breast.
If it hurt the last time, it was most likely due to a bad latch, or thrush. Both problems are easy to fix. Why don’t you go to some LeLeche League meetings or see a lactation consultant too. They can show you how to use a Supplemental Feeding System or Lact-Aid using your donated milk.http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/relact…http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/decrea…http://www.drjen4kids.com/soap%20box/wha…
October 30th, 2009 at 7:01 am
EWWWWWWWWW
thats my feedback sorry but thats just gross!
October 30th, 2009 at 10:10 am
I really wouldnt do it. Breast milk made by a mother is specifically for her own child. Your baby could be allergic to her milk where as your own baby cant be allergic to it. Its really not a good idea.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I believe that breastmilk is the best for the baby. I couldnt breastfeed my daughter because she was premature and I wasnt producing enough milk. I would have done anything to have been in your position then. I think you should give it a try. They do stuff like that with adopted babys.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
it isnt much different to having a wet nurse last century.
beofre you do though you need to be POSITIVE that she is healthy, doent have anything like hiv or other diseases, dont just take her word for it ask for some proof.
also your baby might not like it, but as long as everything is ok and safe i dont see a problem, i think it was on oprah they spoke about a charity where mums express and it gets sent to children in 3rd world countries.
I think it is really nice of her to offer it to you.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I think that you should talk to your doctor about this. A womans breast milk is designed to meet the nutrient needs of her child so I feel that her milk is specially designed to do that for her child. I cannot imagine that this milk is bad for the baby because of the nutrients that are present within it. On the other hand I believe that breast milk is naturally sweeter than formula, and babies are attracted to it for that reason, so what will you do when you are unable to provide this to your baby regularly? The baby will want this over the formula and if you decide to attempt to give the baby your milk in place of hers, the baby will not nurse becasue it has become accustomed to the smell, and taste of her milk which will definitely differ from your milk. You could end up with a very unhappy baby in the long run.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
As long as your baby is thriving on formula I don’t think you need to outsource breast milk. As dear as your friend is to you, can you really be absolutely certain that she has safe milk to drink. She may lead a healthy lifestyle, but that does not necessarily mean she is free of diseases that she may not even be aware of. If you do decide to use your friends milk I would suggest having it tested for things such as HIV, Hepatitis, etc. Breast milk is best, but formula fed babies grow up happy and healthy too.
October 31st, 2009 at 12:11 am
Thre would be no problem with this. In times past, when a woman could not breast-feed her own baby, she hired what was known as a “wet nurse”. Some women were able to keep lactating for long periods, and could hire themselves out to earn extra money.
October 31st, 2009 at 4:56 am
If you are positive your friend was tested negative for HIV and hepatitis, I would go ahead. Just make sure it is stored properly.
I couldn’t make enough milk for my second [ scar tissue from lousy biopsy ] and did this – it worked out great!
October 31st, 2009 at 9:28 am
That’s what nurse maids were for, they fed the kids from their breasts, as long as she is healthy and your confident it’s safe go for it.
October 31st, 2009 at 9:37 am
I would stick to formula that’s kinda gross would you drink it?