However, there are cultural and religious barriers that prevent the establishment of
human milk banks in the Muslim countries due to the concept of milk kinship.
There has been a great swing towards donor
milk banks in the last few years and human milk is becoming easier to obtain.
Doctors often recommend that families turn to
Milk Banks for human breastmilk, as then it has been tested.
But, from a
donor milk bank, this information is unknown and with Real Food eating Moms still a tiny minority, just not worth the risk.
However, there is also the possibility of donating it to
breast milk banks because there are many babies out there that need it.
She suggested that women with extra milk could help a baby in need by donating their milk to a
non-profit milk bank instead of selling it over the Internet.
Milk banks provide milk to the most fragile infants and can not risk even the every - day types of viruses that mom's own baby could tolerate.
This online trading has been hard
on milk banks, who desperately need more donors to meet the demand from neonatal intensive care units.
The
first milk banks came into existence in the early 20th century as food technology evolved allowing for successful storage of human milk.
So milk sharing from unknown strangers, or
using milk banks where milk from different women is mixed, is often not acceptable.
A milk drop collects milk from approved donors for shipping to the
nearest milk bank.
Another suggestion for some is that if they are blessed with an extra milk supply, they can donate their extra milk to the
national milk bank registry.
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Most Milk Banks provide free shipping provided you can supply a certain amount.
Milk bank staff will ask you a series of questions about your medical and lifestyle history.
What they don't tell you is that there are
many milk banks, and milk donors available so you can still provide breast milk for your baby.
-
Establish milk banks nationwide, for special circumstances when baby can not receive breast milk from biological mother.
However, it is just best to get milk from a certified
milk bank since that milk is screened thoroughly.
However, buying from
official milk banks can be expensive, at $ 3 an ounce, while prices online range from $ 1 to $ 2, according to a sampling of sites.
Sellers often offer medical test results, but the screening can never be as thorough as in
licensed milk banks, she added.
A breastfeeding advocate, she sees
milk banking service as a bridge to successful breastfeeding and support for families.
Helping Hands is a virtual
milk bank utilizing the power of the internet to allow a qualified donor to make her breast milk donation from the comfort of her own home.
In order to become a donor, you have to go through an interview process that includes a questionnaire and possibly other steps, which may vary on the
individual milk bank.
Human
milk banks work by collecting, screening and distributing human milk donated by women.
An
actual milk bank would never give the medical records of the donor to the recipient.
Unfortunately milk banks wouldn't take it because they have their own containers and such for protocol, which totally makes sense.
Milk banks put huge effort into ensuring donor human milk is safe for the most vulnerable of infants.
Human
milk banking guidelines should be vetted by a technical committee comprising of scientists, medical, technical and legal experts.
There are options such as donor milk and
milk banks set up for instances when a mother can not breastfeed.
Now many hospitals and families with ill infants turn to
milk banks for support.
If you have breast milk and you do not want to sell it; then it is advisable to donate it to the nearest
breast milk bank.
However, if you can not provide breastmilk, donor milk may be available from your hospital or
local milk bank.
Until now, donated milk was sent to
milk banks in other states for processing and distribution.
And
most milk banks won't accept milk from a mother on certain medications, including herbs used to boost supply.