Yes, people do buy breast milk. The practice of buying breast milk from other women is known as peer-to-peer milk sharing or informal milk sharing. There are several reasons why people may choose to buy breast milk rather than using formula or having the mother breastfeed directly.
Why do people buy breast milk?
There are a few main reasons why someone may want to buy breast milk:
- Adoptive parents – Adoptive parents cannot breastfeed their adopted infant, so buying breastmilk from a donor can allow the baby to still receive the benefits of breastmilk.
- Premature or sick babies – Babies born prematurely or with certain health conditions benefit greatly from receiving breastmilk, which is easier to digest than formula. If the mother cannot produce enough milk, donor milk may be recommended by doctors.
- Supplementing – Some breastfeeding mothers do not produce enough milk to fully nourish their baby. Purchasing donated milk allows them to supplement what they produce themselves.
- Relactation – Mothers who have stopped breastfeeding but want to restart may use donor milk to help re-stimulate their milk supply until it is re-established.
- Personal preference – Some parents simply prefer to feed their babies human milk over formula for myriad reasons.
The components in breastmilk, including proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, and antibodies, are thought to protect against illness and diseases, help brain and vision development, and provide tailored nutrition. This leads many parents to seek breastmilk when their circumstances prevent them from directly breastfeeding their child.
How do people buy breast milk?
There are a few avenues available for buying breast milk:
- Milk banks – Nonprofit milk banks collect, pasteurize, and dispense donated milk for a fee. This milk is typically prescribed by doctors for specific medical needs.
- Online sites – Websites like OnlyTheBreast.com and HM4HB (Human Milk 4 Human Babies) allow mothers to connect and arrange milk donations.
- Social media – Facebook groups dedicated to milk donation and selling are popular venues to find milk.
- Private arrangements – People may make arrangements through friends, family, or community contacts to purchase milk.
Of these options, direct online and social media arrangements are the most common non-milk bank avenues. Prices, payment methods, and screening processes are agreed upon privately between the milk provider and recipient.
Is it legal to buy breast milk?
In the United States, it is legal to buy and sell breastmilk. The FDA does not regulate informal milk sharing, so the market is considered open. However, some individual states do have laws restricting or prohibiting the sale of bodily fluids like breastmilk. It is advisable to look into a state’s specific legislation before arranging to purchase breastmilk.
Milk banks that dispense milk with a medical prescription operate under more oversight and must adhere to certain safety guidelines.
How much does breast milk cost?
Breast milk prices can vary greatly depending on many factors:
- Supply and demand – Milk prices are higher when demand is elevated, such as in more populated areas.
- Processing – Raw milk straight from the pump is cheaper than milk that has been handled, bottled, and shipped.
- Screening – Milk that has undergone rigorous screening and testing from milk banks commands the highest prices.
- Volume – Buying larger quantities can mean negotiating lower prices.
- Age of baby – Milk intended for premature babies is typically more expensive.
Some typical price ranges:
- Milk bank dispensaries – $3-$5 per oz
- Online/private, raw – $1-$3 per oz
- Online/private, handled – $2-$4 per oz
For comparison, most standard sizes of infant formula range from $15-$30 for a 20 oz tub.
Safety Concerns with Purchasing Breast Milk
While buying breast milk can be a preferable feeding option for many babies, there are some risks involved that parents should consider.
Lack of screening
Unlike milk obtained from regulated milk banks, breastmilk acquired through independent channels hasn’t undergone thorough screening. The donors are not screened for diseases, medications, or contaminants that could be passed through milk. Without lab testing, the milk’s safety cannot be verified.
Disease transmission
Spread of communicable diseases through unscreened milk is possible. Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens could be inadvertently passed from a donor to the recipient infant. Diseases like HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, and cytomegalovirus are of top concern.
Contamination
Poor collection, storage, and transport also present risks of contamination. Bacteria or chemicals can taint the milk if proper sanitation and refrigeration procedures aren’t closely followed. Freezing and thawing milk multiple times allows lipids to degrade and cellular material to rupture.
Toxic exposure
The mother’s diet, environment, medications, or lifestyle could potentially affect the safety of her milk. Exposure to alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or even some prescription drugs can make milk unsuitable for consumption.
Dilution and tampering
Since the exchange is informal, there is potential for the milk to be diluted or tampered with. Some fraud cases have arisen where a broker has diluted higher-priced milk to increase volumes for sale.
Mislabeling
Milk may be misrepresented, such as labeling milk as being from a first-time mom when it is not. Or milk may be labeled as a child’s older age range though it was pumped at an earlier stage. This can impact the milk’s nutritional suitability.
| Risk | Impact | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of screening | Illness from disease transmission | Request current medical screening results |
| Poor handling/storage | Bacterial contamination | Inspect equipment, ask about protocols |
| Donor’s toxins or medicine | Compromised milk quality | Ask about diet, lifestyle, prescriptions |
| Dilution or tampering | Reduced nutrition | Buy from known, reputable sources |
| Mislabeling | Inappropriate milk composition | Request detailed records of milk |
Mitigating the Risks of Purchasing Breast Milk
If you decide to purchase breastmilk from an independent donor, there are some steps you can take to minimize the risks:
Ask questions
Interview your potential donor extensively about:
- Recent health and illness history
- Diet, smoking, alcohol use
- Medications or supplements taken currently or recently
- Baby’s age and health details
- Pumping protocols, equipment sterilization, and storage
- Previous screening test dates and results
The more information the donor can provide upfront, the better.
Review recent medical tests
Ideally the donor will agree to undergo blood tests for communicable diseases in advance. Review the actual lab reports, not just a summary. Tests should include HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B/C, and HTLV at minimum.
Start slow
When first using a new donor, buy a small amount of milk first. Monitor your baby closely for any digestive issues or adverse reactions before purchasing larger volumes.
Use pasteurized milk
While the heating process does degrade some components of breastmilk, pasteurization destroys potential pathogens. This greatly reduces the risk of passing serious illnesses.
Practice safe storage
Follow guidelines from the CDC and other health agencies for properly storing milk to avoid contamination and spoilage. Keep frozen, use oldest milk first, and watch for signs of spoilage.
Be discreet
To maintain the donor’s privacy, keep any milk sharing arrangement discreet. This helps attract donors who may otherwise fear social judgment.
Ethical Concerns Regarding the Breast Milk Market
Along with safety risks, there are some ethical issues to consider surrounding the buying and selling of human breastmilk.
Commodification of the body
Critics argue that buying and selling breastmilk reduces a human bodily fluid to a mere commodity or product for profit. This could exploit women, particularly lower income groups. It risks reducing breastmilk’s inherent value for nourishing infants down to solely its monetary value.
Unregulated market
With limited oversight, the breastmilk market could follow the same path as unregulated, exploitative markets for human organs or surrogate pregnancy. Lack of controls could enable coercion or disproportionate power dynamics between buyers and sellers.
Misappropriation of resources
In areas with scarce breastmilk supply, purchased milk may be directed away from sick NICU babies in favor of healthy babies whose parents can afford to buy it. Advocates argue limited supplies should go first and foremost to infants with critical medical needs.
Discourages breastfeeding
A robust breastmilk market could potentially discourage mothers from directly breastfeeding their children. Relying on purchases may become more convenient, undermining public health efforts to boost breastfeeding rates.
Inadequate screening and safety protocols
Unlike regulated milk banks, informal markets often lack consistent safety screening requirements. This exposes all parties to heightened health risks and liability concerns. Some degree of oversight is required to institute appropriate quality controls and safety precautions.
| Ethical concern | Potential impact |
|---|---|
| Commodification of breastmilk | Exploitation of women, devalues human fluid |
| Unregulated market | Unethical dynamics, lack of protections |
| Misuse of limited supply | Less milk available for highest-need infants |
| Discourages breastfeeding | Public health degradation |
| Inadequate screening | Higher risks of contamination |
Conclusion
Purchasing human breastmilk through informal online markets or direct peer-to-peer sharing is a growing practice among parents looking to feed their babies breastmilk. Motivations include medical need and general health benefits compared to formula. However, buying unregulated milk does pose risks if strict screening protocols and safety standards are not adhered to. There are also ethical concerns around bodily commodification and market dynamics. Parents should educate themselves on the risks and mitigation strategies when considering obtaining breastmilk from outside sources. Regulated milk banks remain the safest source of breastmilk, though limited supply means most needs must be met through informal channels. Ultimately, ensuring the highest safety standards possible is imperative when handling such a precious substance that directly impacts the health of vulnerable infants.