To find using unregulated breast milk reckless? **title edited by MNHQ at OP's request**

[celeryeater]

I think I might get a bit of stick for this but I find the whole process of sharing breast milk for babies a bit gross!
I don't know everything about 'safe' sharing from a proper milk bank but it's my understanding they screen the mothers for diseases and pasteurise the milk? That seems fair enough, and safe. Under what circumstances do you qualify for receiving that?
What I find bizarre is people who organise and receive donor milk for their babies over social media and just trust these strangers that they don't have any diseases or a drinking or drug problem. You wouldn't accept blood from an untested donor so what makes this any different?
I've been lucky enough to be able to breastfeed my DD but AIBU to ask in this situation what is so wrong with formula?

No ammature because its not screened or tested, the donors could be carrying infection or disease, even if they say that they don't, how do you know? some mothers may not be aware, or they may not tell the truth. I could not play roulette with my babies health like that.

I think over the Internet is risky and I wouldn't use it, but through milk banks at hospitals it is a wonderful thing. I'd also be ok with a friend wet nursing for me in an emergency. Similarly I'd do it for them.

I'm going to try and donate next time if I can as I have plenty of milk. I didn't this time because I was on lots of antibiotics/painkillers at the beginning so didn't think they'd want my milk.

Savannah that was our milk bank. I always wonder about the person whose milk my dd had.

As Strawberry has said, Fruit i just could not use unscreened milk for my baby.

Two different issues here.

Using unscreened breast milk would be incredibly risky - you have no idea about the medical situation of the donor, nor any idea of how hygienic the milk storage is.

Donor milk used in milk banks is pasteurised at the hospital. Donor mothers undergo a medical screening, and a home visit from a milk bank nurse to ensure that their freezer is adequate for safe storage of milk, and check that they have a suitable steriliser if using a breast pump.

Donor milk goes straight into single-use sterile bottles provided by the hospital, then labelled with the mother's name and date.

I donated milk with both my children. My younger child received donor milk in hospital when I was trying to feed her through the night and my milk hadn't come in- I think the midwives were worried that I was going to fall asleep feeding her. (Going from reports on here, I must have had extremely sympathetic midwives who were going through a brief lull in the demands on their time).

I wish there were more milk banks like this inertia, providing safe bm, alas. When my bm went, I had to use formula, wish there were more banks.

The milk was screened, the donor had the same medical checks as women for milk banks, and the milk was flash heated despite screening. How much more screening would you expect?

I totally understand it's not for everyone though, I got a bit of a flaming last time I tried to talk about my experiences elsewhere so expecting similar this time sadly, although I'm happy to answer any questions anyone may have about it!

I donated milk when I had my eldest as I am some sort of human cow. I had several blood tests, they tested my freezer and trained me in correct pumping and storing, and collected regularly from my home. I'm really happy I had a chance to help some other babies and don't think it's yuck! (But no way would I buy over social media from randoms)

I've done both. I've donated to a 'formal' milk bank, but I've also given away some of my milk through "Human Milk for Human Babies" as well.

I was lucky, despite having very premature twins, that I was able to express over a litre of milk whilst they were too tiny to feed. I ended up with over 30 litres of 'spare' milk and I basically ran out of freezer space. I was able to donate some to the actual milk bank, but also gave some away to 2 local-ish families who had prem babies, but once out of hospital weren't able to access donor milk, and their babies weren't getting on with formula after being so poorly.