Breast Feeding

Breastmilk For Sale: Would You Buy?


The United Press has a story of a mom who has been pumping for some time, just to find out that her 4 month old daughter won’t take a bottle.


Martha Heller is causing quite a stir because she has taken out a newspaper ad to sell some of the breast milk that is piling up in her freezer.

She explains to The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette, “I’d much rather a baby use it, because at some point we’ll have to throw it away.”

She said she tried to research law about the sale of breast milk — but couldn’t find any.

Heller also donates to the Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa, based at the University of Iowa. However, the 100 ounces she is trying to sell is what she had pumped before being screened and cleared for the milk bank.

 

Breast milk generally can be used up to six months if stored properly, said Linda Klein, a lactation consultant at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. But she warned that medical conditions and medications a mother takes can be passed through breast milk.

So here’s the question…Would you buy this breast milk?

Even though I am a HUGE supporter of breastfeeding, I would not buy this milk.

This milk was made for Martha’s daughter. It is specially formulated for that baby, not mine.

Not to mention the fact that everything you eat, drink or smoke goes into your breast milk and in turn into your child’s body. I just wouldn’t chance it…


About the author

Lisa Arneill

Founder of Growing Your Baby and World Traveled Family. Canadian mom of 2 boys, photo addict, lover of bulldogs, and museumgoer. Always looking for our next vacation spot!

3 Comments

  • I am a mother of two, with plenty of leftover milk. I am of excellent health, and eat as organic and possible. I take prenatal vitamins. I can sell my milk for $10 a 6 oz bag. I have sold already to many happy people. If interested please contact me at mamamilkforyou@gmail.com.

  • I clearly remember the day my aunt lost her 22 month old son to SIDS. She had just had a baby a couple of months before and the grief she endured caused her milk to run dry. My poor cousin would not take a bottle and would have nothing to do with nasty formula. So what was my family to do? Luckily my older cousin had just had a baby as well and was breast feeding, she volunteered and stayed at my aunts house and nursed him for 6 months until he took a sippy cup. So is breast milk just made for the baby that came out of you? I think not. There are plenty of babies that need what many of us have in excess, so by all means I will be looking into donating our extra as well.

  • In February 2001 we gave birth to a little girl, Hannah, that was 14 weeks premature. We pumped and pumped and she died 12 days later. I had approximately 200 ounces saved. We shipped it to a mother of a little adopted girl who had severe digestive problems. A lot of peace and comfort came through that donation. Breastmilk is so much more than just milk…

    Would I buy it? Well, no, but I’m ABLE to nurse my children. Would I consider it if it had been screened and I couldn’t nurse? Absolutely.

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