Breast milk sharing a growing trend

WASHINGTON - US health officials are cautioning new parents about sharing breast milk as a growing number of women are using social networking and other websites to share their milk instead of turning to infant formula.

Health experts have long promoted breast-feeding as the 'perfect food' to provide babies with needed nutrients as well as ward off illness, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is worried about the practice.

In a statement on Tuesday, the agency urged parents not to casually use breast milk from other, unscreened mothers because of the risk of disease or contamination from bacteria, drugs or chemicals.

The move comes ahead of a public FDA meeting on Monday to discuss breast milk donations and banking. The agency is poised to release documents related to the meeting on Thursday.

A small network of self-regulated breast milk banks offer screened milk. But experts say they simply do not have enough milk to serve other mothers unable to breast-feed their babies.

Some women have turned to other women. Such web-based exchanges have spiked in recent weeks with the growth of Eats on Feets, a new global exchange that connects women who want to donate milk with women who need it.
REUTERS