to ask if you would use donated breastmilk if it was available rather than formula?

[bubbleymummy]

Inspired by another thread.

I personally would rather use donated milk. If you wouldn't - why not?

We do need someone on here who has the big studies at their finger-tips

tiktok? where is she?

I would if it was properly screened and tested and available easily if and when I needed. There would have to be milk banks that are registered and regulated which women donate to and parents get the milk from. I would only do this for the first 6-8 months, after that theycwill be weening and exposed to a variety of food

news BF link

OhForBoones - All I'm saying is that there are lots of variables which contribute t a healthy happy child. Sometimes pro-bf people talk as if bf is the only one.

link

For fucks' sake.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1501906.stm

amothersplace - why do you think that? Do you have anything to support your opinion because studies into bf in developed countries still show a difference.

Babies develop so much in the first 6 months. All mammal's milk is tailored specifically to meet the developmental needs of its offspring. Surely it's pretty obvious that the developmental needs of a calf are quite different to those of a human so why would anyone think that it is better for a baby than human milk? Essential is some cases, yes, because there is no alternative but better or equivalent - really?

I love how the picture they have used is clearly from the 80s.

I don't understand why you would give a human cows' milk in the first place. I hate milk. Yuck yuck.

I wouldn't, unless my baby was very premature.

I breastfed my three (still feeding DD2), but it was never the be all and end all.

I have no 'ick factor' issues with either FF or someone else's BM.

My main worries are hep and HIV. Even screening doesn't necessarily rule it out. Then there's the issue of pasteurisation. I'd worry more about the possibly completely unregulated drugs taken by women than those given to cows.

I know that breast is best, but it doesn't mean that FF babies can't do perfectly well.

*"Breastfeeding for less than three months after birth may affect a child's intelligence, warn scientists.
Norwegian and Danish researchers looked at 345 children between 13 months and five years old and studied how long they were breastfed.

Breast milk is nature's way of feeding babies. It is absolutely tailor made for humans

Belinda Phipps, NCT
They found those who were breastfed for less than three months were more likely to score below average for mental skills at 13 months and have lower IQ levels at five years, than those who were breastfed for six months or more.

Even taking into account the mother's age, intelligence and education and whether or not she smoked, they found the differences persisted."*

My mum breastfed me until 9 months and I think I am pretty thick. That was my schooling though tbh as my school was in a crap area and never taught us anything.

Jlc, but then you should be comparing a ff mother who smokes to a bf mother who smokes- dykwim?

i agree jamie, there are a multitude of variables. i just always find it interesting that whn this comes up, people justify their FFing as being better than a BFer who smokes 20 day or gives the DCs mcDs from 6 months, as if that is what all BFers do so FF is obviously the better option. and when i say justify, i am not saying there is a need to justify it, just that people seem to do so on these threads.

Or activities of her DH/DP.

I find the IQ one hard - as mainly ff myself and (boast alert) an academic overachiever with a good career matched with a annoyingly intelligent ff dh who did a phd in 2 years whilst teaching dd's intelligence cannot depend that much on milk.
Dh's phd was in genetics and he thought I was being ridiculous when I started wailing about making dd stupid when I started mixed feeding at 4 weeks. Think he had to try very hard not to ask me if my logic had popped out (ha) along with dd and placenta back in the delivery room.

Lady - interseting study. Would be keen to know the level of differences, whether that has been replicated (it's a 2001 study), and if they have located the reason for the difference. If it's fatty acids, those could, presumably be put into formula ...

Isn't the fatty acid thing about the chain though? Formula can't replicate the chain.
Which is why expressed bm is less good? Any shaking breaks it?
Or did I make that up?

Again - I know anecdote is not data, but neither myself nor DH was bf. Both postgraduate-level educated. Hoping this will help my poor FF boys

But you may have been slightly more clever pomme. It's not a huge difference though (7 points? or so)

pomme "did I just make that up"

Must go and pick up the DCs now

Ah but pommedeterre - how much smarter would you have been if you'd be breastfed?

But what it is often paraded around as is 'FF makes you stupid' (as per JLC's comment). That's not what it says.
Isn't IQ regarded as a controversial way of measuring intelligence anyway?

Then I am glad Dh wasn't bf - could not bear him being MORE intelligent.