breastmilk for babies affected by Sandy

[naturemummy]

Hello ladies,  I just found about a grass roots movement based on facebook called Liquid Gold Shuttle, a group started to coordinate nursing mothers willing to donate breastmilk to babies still in areas without power after Sandy in the US.   If you're nursing and have a good supply, you could save a life.  Here is the link to the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/295590307207364/ at this time.  Click 'join group' and you'll be added, and it should be going public tomorrow with all necessary details.  It isn't my group, I am just trying to help spread the word. 

[Kimberly Garcia]

[MeepyCat]

This kind of thing came up after the earthquake in Haiti, too, and I think what was said then bears repeating:

There are better uses of everyone's resources then sending breast milk into a disaster area.  Breast milk requires refrigeration for safe storage, and parents then have to find clean water sources to wash bottles and nipples.  Relief organizations cannot distribute donated breast milk unless it's been screened and pasteurized - in short, unless it's gone through the process for official milk banks, usually *at* official milk banks.

Mothers in areas affected by Sandy should absolutely continue to breast feed if that's what they're already doing.  Other parents would probably prefer formula, which requires clean water to mix, but which is shelf-stable at room temperature.  Donations of cash to relief organizations would be even better.