to think that breastmilk should be sold in the supermarket?

[paranoid2android]

Wouldn't it make sense? Then every baby could benefit from breastmilk, even if their mums don't can't/don't want to breastfeed. Women could sell access breastmilk to 'farms' to stock the shops.It does strike me as being quite bizarre that we feed powdered milk from a cow to our children, that mothers sharing breastmilk would be seen as unusual.

The economics of it just wouldn't work.

Let's think about this. I assume if it's going to be sold in supermarkets, the woman producing the milk will want to be paid at least minimum wage for the time it's taking her. How long does a breastfeeding mother spend feeding her own child every day ? Several hours ? So, let's say a minimum of about 15 pounds for a day's supply just for paying the milk producer. (Breast milk is free if you don't have to calculate the cost of the woman's time). Then you have to pay the distribution, the health care personnel who sterlise and screen the milk... I reckon you couldn't do it for less than about 30 pounds for one day's supply.

Then it's not clear to me that there is much excess supply at all. A WHO review of EBF found that the best measures they had for average milk supply and average baby requirements were more or less the same. If that's true (and both these things are difficult to estimate) then there is very little excess milk to go round: women's bodies are producing, on average, just enough and no more. (Which would make sense from an evolutionary point of view.)

I donated to my local SCBU and had the privilege of seeing the difference it makes to those very sick and prem babies.

I would like to see all SCBU units having a better funded and supplied milk bank before BM is sold commercially. TBH I think its a disgrace that we have so few milk banks here and they are virtually unknown and so little funded.

I don't think it would catch on.

I wouldn't buy it or feed it to my baby. I just wouldn't be comfortable with the thoughts of another human beings bodily fluids being sold for profit. In the same way as I'd also be wary of human blood products or organs being sold. It seems unethical but I can't exactly put my finger on why.

Cows are a different species. I don't know why I find that more acceptable.

I would be worried about diseases ect.

In the country I live you can get breast milk on prescription (if your baby is healthy you'd have to pay).

If a baby is born premature or unwell then the mother is entitled to free breast milk delivered to her home every day for the first year.

Oh, the women giving the breast milk are paid a small amount for it. It is fully screened.

What is the shelf life of breast milk?

FF babies are more likely to be overweight adults and to get diabetes. Also more likely to get cancer before the age of fifteen. More likely to get ear infections and norovirus. BF babies on average have slightly higher IQ scores. But most FF babies do just fine as you probably know.

I'd be rich! Rich beyond my wildest dreams. I make LOADS if milk

Anyone want to buy some?

Im pretty sure the IQ one has been refuted now

I am pretty sure it has too!

I donated to my local SCBU and was very happy to do so. But there is no doubt that pumping was extremely tiring and time consuming: to do it commercially I would need to be paid extremely well. Which would push up the price. And there is no way I would deliberately stay lactating after my baby had stopped needing it, just to sell the produce: I'd rather do almost any other job.

The IQ one probably stands - not because of BM though, but because the parents are usually the better educated and generally research and do the best for their child, along with a lot of forward planning, therefore IQ usually begats IQ.

Not wanting to massively sterotype, I bet someone can find me a graph showing that those from a poor socio-economic background, birth during teen years, dont have a partner etc tend to bottle feed. Not least because formula is free (or was when I had my children).

If I used banked milk for ine I would have wanted a full copy of the screen plus a lifestyle check, food diary and a guarantee that the milk was at the same chronology as my baby. Not asking much really

No troisgarcons, I am under the impression the latest conclusion is that there is.nt enough evidence to support the IQ claim

I bet someone can find me a graph showing that those from a poor socio-economic background, birth during teen years, dont have a partner etc tend to bottle feed. Not least because formula is free

Breast milk is free too, so cant see how that argument holds any water.

Formula is free?Where?

Slightly off topic but the wet nurse comments made me remember working as a MW in the Middle East where birth and breastfeeding are much more a family affair. I went into a room to check how the Mum and baby were doing and there was the usual crowd of ladies - sisters, aunties, grannies, other children milling around. Empty bed and shower running next door and granny tells me the Mum is fine. Peeked into the cot but no baby. Panicked look around room and they all laughed and beckoned me forward to see one of the new Mum's sisters breastfeeding the baby! Apparently they all helped each other out if they were tired or unwell and on this occasion time for a shower was what was required. I stayed for a chat and the best bit was when the newborn had finished, the toddling cousin took over and reclaimed "his" breast, peering out at me as if to say "You're not getting any!"

I quite like the idea of being in a breast-feeding farm.

Me and the other women would lounge around in a soft environment, eating chocolate and watching This Morning.

After a while our breasts would start to feel full and we would become slightly uncomfortable.

When a strapping hunky farmer-type appeared at the door of the enclosure, shouting "Come on girrrrrrrrls!" in a sexy west-country accent, we'd all leap to our feet and follow him to the milking parlour with the greatest enthusiasm.

Repeat x 3 daily.

tricky, that is amazing! I think I can guess where you live.

You get vouchers to cover the cost of formula if you're on a low income. Not that it actually covers it any more, IIRC.

It's not about whether you're young/old/rich/poor though, anyway. The most likely indicator is what most of your friends/family do or did. 50 or 60 years ago, things were reversed - the middle classes tended to bottlefeed (on medical advice) and the lower/working classes would breastfeed. Not because of poor education or lack of money (though these were factors) but because their mum, their sister, their friends would all have breastfed, it was what they knew and what they were familiar with.

No one would want mine, it's laced with gin

Wet nursing couldn't come back, not like it used to. In the past, the wet nurses had their own babies, but they were fed on gruel & pap so that their milk was saved for the paying parents' child. As you can imagine, the children of wet nurses didn't grow up very strong (if at all!)

Well, balloonslayer, I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight

Where do you live tricky ?? Fabulous arrangement.
I hoped to donate BM this time and made enquires whilst pg - however, DS2 has cow's milk allergy (and soya) so only drinks BM. I would love to be able to buy it for him as pumping enough whilst working is a frickin' PITA