Be prepared to counsel families on informal breastmilk sharing: Paediatricians

OTTAWA – New guidance from the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) gives clinicians the information they need to counsel families on donor milk, which some babies can receive when a mother is unable to breastfeed.

Breastmilk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants up to six months. This is especially important for preterm and ill infants, who have fewer complications and shorter hospital stays when they receive breastmilk.

Milk banks in Canada can provide pasteurized human milk for vulnerable newborns in hospitals. This donor milk often acts as a bridge until a mother can provide her own breastmilk. Four milk banks in Canada, with strict safety and screening regulations, operate as not-for-profits and follow Health Canada’s regulations for food.

Because of limited availability, milk banks usually serve only the most vulnerable infants, leading many families to turn to informal milk sharing. This has prompted concerns about safety, which the CPS says clinicians should discuss with families who are considering using unpasteurized human milk.

“We know that more and more families are feeding their babies unpasteurized human milk, either from a friend or from online milk sharing sites,” said Dr. Catherine Pound, Chair of the CPS Nutrition and Gastroenterology Committee. “Although the CPS does not recommend this practice, clinicians need to ask families whether they practice informal milk sharing in order to open the dialogue.  We need to know about it so that we can counsel the families and, if need be, help them reduce risk of negative consequences.”

Because informally shared milk isn’t subject to the same processes and standards as milk banks, commercial formula is a safer alternative for babies whose families cannot or choose not to breastfeed.

Guidance for clinicians counseling on milk banking and milk sharing can be found here.

Information for parents can be accessed here.

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About the Canadian Paediatric Society

The Canadian Paediatric Society is a national advocacy association that promotes the health needs of children and youth. Founded in 1922, the CPS represents more than 3,300 paediatricians, paediatric subspecialists and other child health professionals across Canada.