New Guidelines for Informal Milk Sharing

New guidelines have been published to minimize the risk of informal milk sharing and to improve health benefits, reveals the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM).

The position statement is published in Breastfeeding Medicine, the official journal of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

Breast Feeding Mothers to be Cautious About Milk-sharing Websites
Medical experts have cautioned people about inherent risks related to sharing breast milk after the response of many thousands of mothers who have registered on milk sharing websites.

‘Internet-based milk sharing is highly not recommended, as medical screening of the donor cannot be done.’

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"Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine's 2017 Position Statement on Informal Breast Milk Sharing for the Term Healthy Infant" discusses strategies to maximize the safety of community-based breast milk sharing, including 1) medical screening of the donor and 2) safe milk handling practices.

Donors should have no medical illness where breastfeeding is contraindicated nor on any medication that is incompatible with breastfeeding.

Mothers can further reduce the risk of infections by performing home pasteurization of donated milk prior to giving it to her infant; however, pasteurization can decrease some of the beneficial components of human milk.

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ABM also emphasizes that while informal milk sharing has potential health benefit, "internet-based milk sharing is not recommended under any circumstances."

"Informal breast milk sharing is becoming increasingly common for healthy term infants as 21st century families desire to feed their infants human milk," says Dr. Timothy Tobolic, president of ABM.

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For many mothers, the decision to breastfeed or formula feed their baby is based on the comfort level, lifestyle, and specific medical situations.

"Physicians and other health care providers can help mothers and families evaluate the risks and benefits of informal milk sharing," said Dr. Tobolic.

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Anything that contributes to shortening the recommended six months of exclusive breast feeding is a concern.

Source-Eurekalert