May 17 2008
Selling Breast Milk As Your Carrier?
This is not only found in China, but also in US – an old profession is now revived! Whilst some mothers refused to breastfeed their children, giving excuses that they do not have enough milk, there is an increasing trend of people selling their breast milk!
[photo sourced from: Bounty]
Few years ago, I read from SinChew that a company was set up in Jiangsu Yangzhou (江苏扬洲), which provides ‘wet nurses’ services, i.e. nannies who breastfeed your babies.
Similarly, some time last year, in Times, it was reported an increasing trend of people hiring wet nurses. An agencies was set up in LA (CertifiedHouseholdStaffings.com), supplies wet nurses nationwide. Their standard fee is $1,000 a week! Whew! That is not a small amount!
There is a mixed opinion about this. The advocates would support this, for the belief that breast milk is the best, and is still more superior than formula, hence this is a better alternative for moms that can’t give their own milk due to various reasons – work demand, breast surgery, adoption, etc.
Well, though breast milk is known for its immunities and antibodies, there is a potential risk for viruses to be passed through breast milk. Also, socially there is a lot of discomfort in learning this truth. Imagine, breastfeeding own kid is already not a subject people find comfortable to discuss, even here in KL!
In addition, in the old days in China, many wet nannies are coming from poor homes. They sell their breast milk to the rich families, and their own babies drink only porridge-waters. Though in this modern days, the nannies’ children may take cow’s milk as supplement, but is this socially acceptable – to give your best to others’ kids whilst supplementing ‘lower quality’ stuff for your own?
Anyway, I think whether or not a mom would allow another lady to breastfeed her own kids, it really depend on personal comfort level.
I would definitely not accept this. I am not only worried for hygiene, I also worried of losing the bonding with my children. One of the reasons I choose to breastfeed my kids, is to foster a stronger bonding with them. I would be very jealous to see my kids suckling another woman’s breast and spend intimate time with her. Not only that, even drinking another woman’s breast milk in bottle, I would be jealous as well! :p
Come to think of it, that’s why in the old days the children are all very closed to their nannies, instead of their own moms!
So, what do you think? Is it ethical or not to sell your own breast milk, whether directly or bottled?
On whether breastmilk-selling is ethical, well, presumably many wet nurses are perpetually milk-ready, even after their own children are ready to be weaned, so why criticise them for monetising what nature gave them?
As for those who are “robbing” their young, we’d be reflexively harsher, but then again such mothers probably need to get some sort of work anyway to support their children – and most of the options would presumably require them to be away from home and so unable to nurse in any case (don’t think there’s much expressing of milk into sterilised bottles in rural china).
Bonding with your own baby is better.
Really! I always thought that this is the most primal act of human being which is breast feeding your infant when he/she is born to make the bond. I dont know if selling breast milk is a good idea.
I wouldn’t say that it’s not ethical or not.. this is just another kind of ‘family affairs’ and when a mom demands breast milk (even milk of someone else) there sure will be the supply.
So basically we should respect the family’s decision whether or not to choose between breast feeding or not. Although I agree as what you said that the bond between mom and child may not be as strong.
Those poor people need money so sell lor.
cloudsters: you have the point. So, for breastfeeding advocates like us, we would give pressure to government and employers to provide facilities for working moms to continue breastfeed at work. In some countries where hygiene is concerns (as you pointed out in China), good employer would provide nursery or day care in the office, with professional nannies looking after the kids. The mothers would go in to nurse the babies the natural way, as they say. I know of a company who provide this facility in Pakistan. It is not easy, but nevertheless some hope there.
Johnny Wadd: Certainly.
Simon: I guess for breastfeeding advocates like us, we would not promote selling own breastmilk. But at least there is a progress – more and more people recognizing breast milk is the best food for infants.
Cherry: Well, I guess the issue I have is, whilst buying breast milk is a solution, it only give one benefit but not all the benefits of breastfeeding. Bear in mind there are a lot of benefits that we are trying to promote here – reduce risk of breast cancer, help bonding, etc. It might not be an ethical issue, but it would still affect the effort to promote breastfeeding.
Maddie: Hmm… you are right. This has provided a good avenue to make some money.
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