I've seen more and more on this issue and I was wondering what you all thought about it? Personally I don't know if I'd ever need the money that bad to sell my milk. To me my breastmilk is for my baby and that's it. In extreme cases like if I was trapped on a deserted island with an infant that wasn't mine and had milk of course I'd share, but otherwise I don't think so.

I keep tripping over the word "donated," because I keep thinking, "Wait a minute ... this business model hinges on processing a raw material that the producers won't get paid for? Even wet nurses got some sort of compensation back in the day." But I don't know if milk bank donors are actually donors, or if it's possible to sell your breast milk. After all, you can already sell your blood and your sperm or ova. Why not your breast milk?

I was going to say I would never entertain the idea, until NeverMarried pointed out about seling your blood, sperm or ova. I understand the need sometimes for breastmilk and the properties it contains - I think if given the choice though, I would donate it and not sell it. I think I'd want to do it jsut for the good of dong it.

I've donated blood many times - never gotten paid for it. I think it would feel strange to be paid for it, but it is a life-and-death kind of thing. As strongly as you feel about the importance of feeding infants breast milk, it is not a necessity, but a choice. Seems to me like you should get paid for breastmilk - it is sold to people.

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Umbilical Cord Blood Storage | Breastfeeding Advice and Information

I could never accept money for my breastmilk, but I have considered donating to certain programs to help premature infants. In my mind, as long as I'm producing enough to keep my baby happy, and still have more left over (since milk production is generally a supply and demand kind of thing), then I would be proud to donate it. The trick would be finding a program that wasn't an absolute hassle to collect and send off, etc. As a new mom, you just don't have the time for that sort of thing.

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Tigriz
Mom to Alex - 1/21/06

People may donate/sell their sperm or blood but it doesn't seem right for me to sell breastmilk. I can donate for the real needy babies but selling? I think it is only if you have more than enough supply of it. I don't know but my idea of selling is when there is enough supply to cater to the demands of the consumers. When I have breastmilk, I reserve it for the needs of my own baby and sharing it (to be sold) to others would mean depriving my baby of the milk that she/he may need anytime.

I have never heard of this. People are actually selling their breastmilk? To who? And why? This poses alot of health concerns. Mainly that whatever the women ingests goes into her breastmilk. Is there then a screening process in place for determining what's in the breastmilk? I don't think it's such a good idea unless it's a life and death situation.

I'm not sure how I feel on this. I go back and forth on the issue. I also think about if I would have wanted to give my infant someone else's breastmilk and I don't think I could have done that.

I have to believe that of course there's some typeof screening process and the more posts I read, the more I feel that were I still lactating, I would definately donate to an organization in our area, but I don't believe I'd sell it. No moral heavy issues surrounding it, just a personal choice.

Wow, my first thought was no, no no. But I guess if I thought I could really help someone, I might give my breastmilk.