Prolacta milk banks

[guestmama9924]

There is a trend of the for-profit bio-science bio-pharm company Prolacta soliciting birth centers, midwives, LLL groups for milk contracts.
I find it disturbing and have read many many articles on Prolacta and am not convinced that they are an ethical company. I am always suspicious at any company that targets midwives because they figure that the big hearts of midwives will be talked in to being a depot.
Anyone up on Prolacta in their community or seen their marketing techniques first hand??? http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister...le_1128779.php

[Ruthla]

I'm still torn about this. I'd still much rather see direct mother-to-mother sharing of unpasturized breast milk

It's good that Prolacta will be making donor milk available to babies who would otherwise be getting formula, and it's good that they're making it easier for women to donate milk. It's not good that they might get fewer women to donate to non-profit milk banks.

My biggest concern is that moms of preemies might be encouraged to use Prolacta milk rather than pumping for their own babies- and that babies who COULD be getting fresh, raw milk from their own mothers will instead be getting pasturized donor milk.

[Snowdrift]

I am preparing to start donating milk (40 oz in freezer!) but am hoping for a direct donation. The whole idea of milk banks bothers me. I wish I could help those tiny preemies who need it the most, but our family struggles a lot to keep things together financially. We're students and we're uninsured.

It really bothers me to give my milk to a bank that will then sell it for a couple of bucks an ounce--accessible primrily to those who are well-off and/or have good insurance.

I do realize that milk banks operate at a loss, that they need to cover their processing costs, and that sometimes assistance is avialble to pay for donor milk. I know my position doesn't entirely make sense. But as much as I want to be a milk donor it just really bugs me to think about spending half an hour or more every day pumping and packaging and washing equipment for free and yet quite possibly not have my milk reach a baby who needs it simply because he or she was born to a medicaid mom at Detroit Receiving instead of to the BC/BS-covered mom at a fancy suburban hospital.

So, no I'd never donate to Prolacta. Not only does the concept of making human milk "better" freak me right out, but even donating to not-for-profit that will charge for my milk bugs me. I don't think anyone should have to pay for human milk, but if moeny is going to change hands, I definitely don't think that anyone but the mom providing the milk should be receiving money for it.

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

It's good that Prolacta will be making donor milk available to babies who would otherwise be getting formula, and it's good that they're making it easier for women to donate milk. It's not good that they might get fewer women to donate to non-profit milk banks.

Ruth, yes, I agree with the "concept" but formula is FREE at hospitals, and many mothers aware of the benefits of human milk will pump...and at $45 per ounce, who buys it???? Last I heard Prolacta would not disclose hospitals buying their product so is it going to preemies or being sold to companines mining the properties for research??
tie-dyed I understand ya, and I agree. Some of the aspects just don't sit right with me either....

[kalirush]

I didn't vote. I would probably donate my milk to any of the listed venues, but I'd prefer to donate it to someone I knew or to a non-profit bank (which I actually do donate to).

But donating it for research I'm good with- as long as they're upfront. Not Prolacta, maybe, but other groups perhaps. But I'd only do it if there wasn't a milk bank in my area to donate to.

Julia

[mamaverdi]

If they can make additives for preemies that are made from human milk instead of cow's milk, that's great. But they should pay the women, not the hospitals, that they get the milk from. ONLY, my understanding is that you can't pay for human tissue...which breastmilk is.

Or they should pay no one, and they should be not-for-profit. But my understanding of this company is that they don't believe in doing things not-for-profit.

Yuck.

My baby receives donor milk and has even when we were uninsured and he was on Medicaid. There is no way I can ever express enough gratitude for what other mothers have done for my baby.

Other than donate my own milk should I be blessed with another child.

mv

[mamaverdi]

Take a look at the Associate $5,000 donor category:

http://aap.org/donate/fcfhonorroll.htm

Look what kind of company they keep....

Puke.

mv

[nabigus]

I donated my freezer stash yesterday to a low-supply mom! I'm all for mom-to-mom, with no pasteurization and no middle man.

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by mamaverdi

Take a look at the Associate $5,000 donor category:
http://aap.org/donate/fcfhonorroll.htm
Look what kind of company they keep....

wow. I am telling ya, this company must have bought the formula rep and marketing handbook

[Janice in Canada]

I'm very interested in that others are aware of this and discussing it.

I have a lot of problems with the Prolacta enterprise, too many to list here.

Keep the discussion going, and keep spreading the word about the truth behind Prolocata.

Janice

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

I would definetly donate mom to mom if the situation came up with someone local to me. I would probably donate to a not for profit even if they were charging a little bit for the milk to cover there costs (I think that's only fair) I've thought about that a lot and wished there was a milk bank near me. I would never let my milk anywhere near an operation like that though.

[graceshappymum]

I am a big supporter of mum to mum. No milk of mine is going to a middle man, profit or not.

[mamanurse]

I donate my extra EBM to mamas in need. I feel it's better that my milk is not pasteurized and that there is not a financial stress put on the family that needs it. I couldn't believe that milk banks charge between $3 and $4 per ounce plush shipping. It just makes so much more sense to me to donate it privately to mamas that can't produce enough milk or can't bf their babes.

[SaraFR]

How does mom-to-mom donation work? I would love to have donated my extra milk to a mother in need so her baby could have had that instead of formula. Are pediatricians supportive of it? Does one need to undergo testing first or is that dependant on the mother of the to-be-donated-to baby?

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by graceshappymum

I am a big supporter of mum to mum. No milk of mine is going to a middle man, profit or not.

: That's the only way I'd do it...give it directly to another mom in need. Kind'a wish I knew of one, I have tons of milk!!

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by mamanurse

I couldn't believe that milk banks charge between $3 and $4 per ounce plush shipping.

darling, $45 per ounce is what Prolacta charges....:

[rmzbm]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

darling, $45 per ounce is what Prolacta charges....:

WOW!!!!!

[guestmama9924]

Originally Posted by SaraFR

How does mom-to-mom donation work? I would love to have donated my extra milk to a mother in need so her baby could have had that instead of formula. Are pediatricians supportive of it? Does one need to undergo testing first or is that dependant on the mother of the to-be-donated-to baby?

Sara, it is certainly looked down upon by LLLI and the medical establishment, BUT there are Peds that would test the donor mother and assist with milk sharing. Few, but there are some. Also, sometimes it is a group effort, like a group of friends, family or support group. My SIL donated to a mom on this board and volunteered her diet info, medical history and kept the milk frozen which can and does kill some bacterias and viruses.

Janice, thanks for joining the loop, I was expecting you my dear
Mirine

[Quagmire]

Wow, Prolacta is disgusting Thanks for the education.

[Little Bear's Mama]

Originally Posted by KeysMama

Sara, it is certainly looked down upon by LLLI and the medical establishment, BUT there are Peds that would test the donor mother and assist with milk sharing.

LLLI isn't against milk sharing. They are against *casual* milk sharing. In this day and age, it is a risky practice.

Here is a press release on the topic:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/Release/milksharing.html