New moms who purchase breast milk online may not be getting exactly what they ordered.
A team of researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, recently discovered breast milk samples ordered from popular websites were contaminated with cow’s milk.
What’s so bad about cow’s milk?
Simply put, infants can’t digest it easily. Cow’s milk lacks key nutrients found in human breast milk and formula, and some infants may even have a milk intolerance. This combination can be dangerous for a young, premature baby.
In addition to finding cow’s milk in about 10 percent of the samples collected, other studies found approximately 75 percent of tested samples were contaminated with bacteria and disease-causing pathogens.
“Buying human breast milk from anyone other than a certified human milk bank is extremely risky business,” said Sandi Brown, registered nurse and certified lactation consultant with St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
Why new moms purchase breast milk
For women who cannot breastfeed, a certified milk bank is the healthiest ““ but not necessarily the simplest ““ choice. Using a certified milk bank can be expensive, and supplies can run low. In fact, if your baby reaches full-term gestation and is healthy, you may end up on a waiting list. Premature babies get preference at milk banks because “for the premature, extremely low birth-weight infants, [their]lives may depend on it,” said Brown.
If a mom cannot provide her own milk and the baby is healthy, formula is the best choice. Otherwise new moms should make sure the milk bank they choose is certified and safe for their new bundle of joy.
