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Original poster

my friends ds was fed breastmilk at school !!!

345 replies

mummyof2bunnies · 04/06/2008 21:27

My friend came round today in a bit of a state, she was asking her ds7 what he had done at school today and he replied that so and so's mum came in to class today and was telling them all about her new baby and brought baby food for them to try, and that they got to try breastmilk on teaspoons and breastmilk mixed in baby food now i am no prude i breastfed both my dds but i would be horrified if my dd came home and told me this. Friend was completely horrified as well is going to speak to the head 2mrw the mum in Q was a former classroom assistant at the school b4 she had her baby and my friends ds said she was the only one in class and the teacher was not there when they where trying the foods . I am sure this has to be wrong on so many levels i'm trying to look at it from another point of view but all i feel is anger that she did this can anyone else share their feelings on this....

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 04/06/2008 21:42

OO, I don't think I'd necessarily give consent - I'd have to think about it.

But in this situation, it's all done - so by all means flag up that it's not a good plan to do this sort of thing without seeking consent initially, but the "OMG, what a dreadful woman, I'd kill her!" stuff - as Lulu says - meh.

lulumama · 04/06/2008 21:43

no, you are not alone rosa!!

OverMyDeadBody · 04/06/2008 21:43

I agree with lulumama, it's easy to have a knee-jerk reaction, but really, it's no different to them trying some octopus, or green tea, or Goan curry, or whatever else someone brings in for them to try, is it?

IlanaK · 04/06/2008 21:43

Speaking with my bf counsellor hat on, this is not about bf versus formula feeding debate. It was a serious lapse of judgement as there ARE risks of passing on HIV through breastmilk. Milk donated to milkbanks is pasturised for this very reason. People who enter into cross nursing have to consider this issue as well.

How wonderful that the woman talked about breastmilk and breastfeeding to the children, but to actually feed them non-pasturised bm without parental consent was a big mistake.

tink123 · 04/06/2008 21:44

That is disgusting. Breast milk can carry all sorts of diseases inc HIV and hepatitis. Not that I am suggesting that mother involved may be a carrier.

I would take higher, even to LEA.

Oliveoil · 04/06/2008 21:44

it is a body fluid, comletely different to a curry!

foxythesnowfox · 04/06/2008 21:45

I breastfed all my children.

It is an intimate thing which I do to nourish them as babies. I am very pro bf and am feeding my LO who is nearly a year.

I totally get what you are saying about cows/goats, what is socially acceptable etc.

But I would not give my breastmilk to anyone elses child. Baby, maybe. I would donate to the milk bank. I would not offer my son's mate a taste.

lulumama · 04/06/2008 21:45

i think the lack of consent , ilanak, is the big deal.

maybe it was not even breastmilk

maybe it was formula, referred to as baby's milk or something

i hope that if the OPs friends takes it further, then it is ascertained that it was breastmilk .

Saturn74 · 04/06/2008 21:45

I too am a bit "meh" about this, really.

There should have been consent from the parents beforehand - I am surprised the school management didn't obtain it.

The way the OP is worded makes it sound like the event was somehow clandestine:

"she had her baby and my friends ds said she was the only one in class and the teacher was not there when they where trying the foods"

I doubt there was any ill-intent or sneakiness from the ex classroom assistant.

It was an ill-judged move though.

hunkermunker · 04/06/2008 21:46

Ilana, I agree.

I don't think the lapse of judgement was malicious, but it shouldn't happen again. The school need to be told what's happened and to ensure it doesn't happen again (although I can't imagine it would be a regular occurrence anyway!).

ReallyTired · 04/06/2008 21:46

I breastfed my son until he was two and half years old and if someone gave him some one's breast milk at school I would be seriously livid.

Breastmilk is a live substance. Has this woman been tested for TB or AIDS or Hepatitis? O, OK, unlikely she has any of these diseases, but I wouldn't want my son get thrush either. I feel its seriously ill thought out.

I donated breastmilk to a neo natal intensive care unit for six months. I had extensive blood tests and every sample of milk I gave was tested for contamination.

Giving breastmilk to premies makes a huge to thier chances of surival. If I had a premie and I could not express enough then I would be glad to accept donated milk.

However it is an unnecesary risk for a school child to drink unpastiturised breastmilk.

Original poster
mummyof2bunnies · 04/06/2008 21:47

I have to say also i personally know the mother in Q and she would not have meant it to be anything underhand but she is very much the type of person who will push her beliefs on others even when you tell her you do not agree.

lulu mama goat/cow milk she wouldn't feel the same as she chooses to let her child drink this.

when she is offended it came from another humans body it is like saying oh i gave your child human sausages (not the same as breastmilk but u see what i mean) at school today because you dont like it or feed your child it doesnt make it ok.

OP posts:
IlanaK · 04/06/2008 21:47

Yes, lulumama, that is what I was saying. Parental consent would be vital, but I have to say that I doubt it would even get that far if it had been part of a lesson plan as the health and safety risks would be conisdered too high.

hunkermunker · 04/06/2008 21:47

Just trying to work out how I'd feel if the boys were given formula to try...

I don't think I'd be very happy, actually.

[ponders]

Oliveoil · 04/06/2008 21:48

with you saying she was the only one in the classroom etc

do you think she was sat to one side AFTER showing off the new baby and was feeding and the children were curious and wanted to taste the breast milk and she didn't want to say no?

maybe?

wheresthehamster · 04/06/2008 21:48

I'm with you Rosa.

Also she hasn't confirmed her ds has got the facts right yet.

Hulababy · 04/06/2008 21:48

The issue about her being in the room unsupervised is another concern then. Is she CRB checked, for this reason/job? If not she should not be left alone with children.

hunkermunker · 04/06/2008 21:49

Human sausages?!

Made from what? Spare leg flesh?!

Hulababy · 04/06/2008 21:49

Formula would bother me less. It is a pasturised product that I know is from a regulated and safe source.

morocco · 04/06/2008 21:50

was it really breastmilk? you know, I kind of doubt this whole story. not saying anyone is 'lying' just that we are all taking the word of a ? 7 ? year old. plenty of room for misunderstanding. eg she was talking about bf, then offered round some formula milk instead

how would I feel? if the bm was from a milk bank and pasteurised, no probs with it. can't imagine it ever happening and there is no way on earth I'd do the same, terrified my kids would get teased forever about it.

tink123 · 04/06/2008 21:50

most hospitals class breast milk as clinical waste

Oliveoil · 04/06/2008 21:50

if it was a new baby, why did she have baby food as well?

LyraSilvertongue · 04/06/2008 21:52

Chequers, some MNers are journalists. Me included.

hunkermunker · 04/06/2008 21:52

Formula potentially contains salmonella, enterobacter sakazakii - and I've fought hard to avoid the boys having it - I think I'd be cross, actually.

ReallyTired · 04/06/2008 21:53

"Just trying to work out how I'd feel if the boys were given formula to try..."

Trying some formula would not bother me. My son has been allowed cow's milk for quite a few years.

Baby formula isn't poison. Its probably healthier than the odd fruit shoot.