Purchasing breast mulk

[Givemethesun]

I keep seeing adverts / news articles re the rise in mums purchasing other mums breastmilk.

keen to understand as perhaps I have misunderstood but I thought one of the main benefits of breastmilk was the anti bodies, specifically if my dc catches a bug I’ll be able to detect it and create specific antibodies. Surely this would be lost if passing on breastmilk to another baby

this is a genuine question that I wondered not intending to anger or offend. I guess I also had the same question re if you pump & then bottle feed your breastmilk - are some of the benefits not lost? Or have i misunderstood

thanks

It’s because of the obsession with EBF, women then become desperate not to give their babies formula if for some reason they can’t fully supply what a baby needs. Because EBF is measured in this country as the baby never had anything other than breastmilk.

It’s very risky. It’s not like the screened donated milk used in NICU where it makes a real difference to very premature babies.

The antibody thing is that you pass on the antibodies that you've made in your lifetime - not your antibody response to something your child has.

This is how it works.
https://fedisbest.org/2020/01/will-breast-milk-protect-my-baby-from-getting-sick-passive-immunity-101/

Well it's both - lifetime and illness-specific antibodies are passed on.

Breast milk is quite a specific substance - it's more dilute on warm days to give more hydration, can carry allergens, and is balanced to a baby's age and needs.

But it's not worthless to use another woman's milk, if that's what you want.

I donated colostrum to a friend's ill newborn and it was the only thing that started getting her weight up.

Isn't more just that human milk is going to better for a human baby than skimmed cow's milk powder & vegetable oil.

I keep getting posts on Facebook for a group where mums ask for donations. I think donating breast milk is amazing but my only worry about the milk is it isn’t screened. I’ve thought the same about milk being suited to your baby and I also read pumping / feeding at night has the hormones in it to help baby sleepy.

Lifetime antibodies are also illness specific, by definition.

Breastmilk is good, whether from mother or donor. Good on you for donating for your friend's newborn.

This blows my mind - and not in a good way. BM is a bodily fluid and no way would I be giving another woman's BM to my baby, unless it was maybe my sister or someone really close who I felt comfortable about and knew they were in good health.

Plus, you're right OP, BM is designed to be given to YOUR baby and is made specially for your baby, with their saliva on your nipple telling your body which antibodies your baby needs for their health at any given time. If the baby is getting another woman's BM delivered in bags that exchange isn't going on and you might as well give them formula, which is a darn sight more hygienic.

It’s an unnecessary risk - it could be coming from anyone if it’s sourced via a social media group. Milk donated to NICU is screened, the donors’ health tested and they have to store the milk to particular standards.
Unless you’re in a situation where there’s really no alternative (war zone without access to formula?!) you could be exposing your baby to disease, or bacteria from milk stored incorrectly. Or allergens if the donor/seller hasn’t followed a diet correctly.