Buying Breastmilk Online

We all want to do what's best for our babies.  And we all know that breastfeeding is the best nutrition you can give a child.  But in the event that you can't produce enough mlk on your own, what should you do?  You have options.  You can use formula---the only safe and nutritious alternative-- or you can buy breastmilk.  If you decide you're going to buy it, be smart about it.

There are 11 milk banks in this country and one in Canada. These banks screen the milk that comes into them.  They screen it for diseases, drugs, and much more.  When the milk passes those tests, it then goes through a pasteurization process.  During the pasteurization process, milk samples are taken and cultured to check for any bacteria.  Contaminated milk is tossed.  By the time you get it, you can rest assured it's safe to give your baby.

But, it seems, plenty of people are buying and selling breastmilk individually online. One article I read, talked about the practice in Canada.  And in Tennessee, a State Representative was so chagrined by a television report he saw that he wants to enact a law making it a crime to sell breastmilk individually.  Rep. Joe Towns came up with the idea after seeing a TV News Investigation which found hundreds of online posts from people looking to buy and sell breastmilk.

It sounds unbelievable but it's not.  Out of curiosity I went on one classified ad website to see if it's really a problem.  I found people selling anywhere from 100 ouces to 8 oounces and that was just in the handful of states I checked.

Buying breastmilk is not in itself a bad idea.  But buying from anyone or anywhere else other than a milk bank is not only foolish, it's dangerous.  You have no idea if the person selling has a clean bill of health.  And what if she's a drug addict looking to make some money?  How would you ever know?  It's just not worth the risk--espeically when you have the option of milk banks and formula.

Like milk sold from milk banks, all formula made in the U.S. has to meet the strictist standards set by the FDA.  You can rest assured that it not only rises to the standards, but provides the best balance of nutrition you can offer your child other than breastmilk. 

If you find you can't produce enough milk on your own, don't stress.  There are wonderful, safe alternatives.