tNYTimes: Commercialization of Breast Milk

[KatieEl]

Gosh, I'm so torn on this! On one hand I'm all for premature and medically needy babies getting breastmilk. But I don't like the idea that the cost might be two high for those that need it to afford and that it would be taking the milk away from not for profit milk banks. Further, there's a racial/class component to this that feels really icky and problematic to me. I'm glad the Black Mother's Breastfeeding Association called that out.

[virginiaorjohn]

I can't get over the fact that they only pay $1 per ounce. That's not a "part time job" at all.

And I'm torn as well - I think it's great that superpreemies are getting such a highly nutritious product, but oh my god, of course a hospital won't be able to afford that! And there will definitely be women that sell their breastmilk at the expense of their babies health (not that formula isn't an excellent substitute for BM, if they chose to formula-feed and sell all milk produced.)

I think if I'm lucky enough to have good milk production, there will be a bit of freezing and then donating if I'm a super milk bag. It's just not worth it to sell at $1/ounce.

[Sparkly]

There's this teeny tiny part of me, that's like wow, I could have made some money on the side with my oversupply and hey, that would certainly not have hurt to put it in DD's college fund or whatever. But then there's the rest of me that just feels it's completely wrong. I've donated over 600 ounces to moms in need, who wanted to feed their babies exclusively breastmilk for the first year, and either weren't able to produce enough milk or any at all. Having the opportunity to help them reach that goal and feed their babies what they believe is best means vastly more to me than a few dollars in the bank. And like virginiaorjohn, as far as I'm concerned, you'd need to pay me way more than $1/ounce to pump anymore than I already have.

[bunnyfungo]

I think $1/ounce is a pretty decent amount. I pump 8oz in 15 minutes. That's a rate of $32/hour.

[mugster]

Mar 21, 2015 10:49:10 GMT -5 bunnyfungo said:

I think $1/ounce is a pretty decent amount. I pump 8oz in 15 minutes. That's a rate of $32/hour.

Yes, but shouldn't you be paid something for the time it takes your body to generate said milk? It isn't like you can pump 8 hours a day... (right?)

[virginiaorjohn]

Mar 21, 2015 10:49:10 GMT -5 bunnyfungo said:

I think $1/ounce is a pretty decent amount. I pump 8oz in 15 minutes. That's a rate of $32/hour.

I guess I was looking at the woman mentioned in the article who said she made $2000 in 5 months. I mean, that's a little less than $13 a day, $90ish a week if I'm doing the math correctly... (which maybe I'm not). 

[bunnyfungo]

Mar 21, 2015 11:53:50 GMT -5 virginiaorjohn said:

Mar 21, 2015 10:49:10 GMT -5 bunnyfungo said:

I think $1/ounce is a pretty decent amount. I pump 8oz in 15 minutes. That's a rate of $32/hour.

I guess I was looking at the woman mentioned in the article who said she made $2000 in 5 months. I mean, that's a little less than $13 a day, $90ish a week if I'm doing the math correctly... (which maybe I'm not). 

I mean, is it going to replace a real job? No. But if you're already pumping and you have more than you need, it's better than not getting any compensation.

I can go either way with the pay for it or donate it debate. But, in general I can't be scandalized by someone getting paid for it. It's not like she's selling it to another mom, she's selling it to a pharmaceutical company.

[Sparkly]

Mar 21, 2015 10:49:10 GMT -5 bunnyfungo said:

I think $1/ounce is a pretty decent amount. I pump 8oz in 15 minutes. That's a rate of $32/hour.

At the height of my supply I pumped 12-16oz at my first pump of the day. Took about 20 minutes. But the way I look at it is that 1) I can only get that much once a day, and 2) that's the equivalent of anywhere from 3-5 feedings. It's work I don't need or want to do more than I absolutely have to, and I want to be compensated for that. If it were something I would take compensation for, that is.

[Sparkly]

Mar 21, 2015 11:57:23 GMT -5 bunnyfungo said:

Mar 21, 2015 11:53:50 GMT -5 virginiaorjohn said:

I guess I was looking at the woman mentioned in the article who said she made $2000 in 5 months. I mean, that's a little less than $13 a day, $90ish a week if I'm doing the math correctly... (which maybe I'm not). 

I mean, is it going to replace a real job? No. But if you're already pumping and you have more than you need, it's better than not getting any compensation.

I can go either way with the pay for it or donate it debate. But, in general I can't be scandalized by someone getting paid for it. It's not like she's selling it to another mom, she's selling it to a pharmaceutical company.

This, I totally get and agree with. I wouldn't do it, but I guess who I am to say whether someone else should or shouldn't.

[fozziebear]

Liquid gold is worth $1 an oz? Accidentally spill an oz on your counter, the emotional reaction makes it feel that breast milk is worth so much more than $1.

[ghostmonkey]

Mar 21, 2015 19:56:43 GMT -5 fozziebear said:

Liquid gold is worth $1 an oz? Accidentally spill an oz on your counter, the emotional reaction makes it feel that breast milk is worth so much more than $1.

The cost of collection and handling from a milk bank is generally around $3-5/oz.

[fozziebear]

Mar 21, 2015 20:02:28 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

Mar 21, 2015 19:56:43 GMT -5 fozziebear said:

Liquid gold is worth $1 an oz? Accidentally spill an oz on your counter, the emotional reaction makes it feel that breast milk is worth so much more than $1.

The cost of collection and handling from a milk bank is generally around $3-5/oz.

I understand the cost analysis of why someone gets paid $1 an oz and that there's overhead on top of it.  I wasn't an over-producer of milk, if any got spilled, it elicited a very emotional reaction that would not typically be the reaction had for anything else worth $1.

[ghostmonkey]

Mar 21, 2015 20:09:56 GMT -5 fozziebear said:

Mar 21, 2015 20:02:28 GMT -5 ghostmonkey said:

The cost of collection and handling from a milk bank is generally around $3-5/oz.

I understand the cost analysis of why someone gets paid $1 an oz and that there's overhead on top of it.  I wasn't an over-producer of milk, if any got spilled, it elicited a very emotional reaction that would not typically be the reaction had for anything else worth $1.

You are drawing emotions in to it that increase the value to you but not necessarily anyone else. 

[mrsrexmanning]

I'm on the fence. I had a massive oversupply with my first child and donated about 1000oz. direct to mothers with babies close in age to my kid. While I feel good about providing that to someone in need, I think if I end up with the same supply issues again I'd want it to go to a bank to feed premies through a non-profit bank even though collection requirements are obviously much much stricter. While it's not something I feel like I'd really want to get paid for, I don't have a problem with others getting paid for their milk. It's a valuable commodity that takes time and effort to produce.

[virginiaorjohn]

Mar 21, 2015 20:32:44 GMT -5 mrsrexmanning said:

I'm on the fence. I had a massive oversupply with my first child and donated about 1000oz. direct to mothers with babies close in age to my kid. While I feel good about providing that to someone in need, I think if I end up with the same supply issues again I'd want it to go to a bank to feed premies through a non-profit bank even though collection requirements are obviously much much stricter. While it's not something I feel like I'd really want to get paid for, I don't have a problem with others getting paid for their milk. It's a valuable commodity that takes time and effort to produce.

Heyohhhh mrsrexmanning, long time no see! Way to crush BFing for reals. I'm super impressed by your boobs, and also that you chose to donate. That's fucking awesome.

I think your situation is the ideal. You're a super producer, you donate to a mom in need or milk bank or a company like Prolacta, Prolacta processes it into preemie-friendly concentrate, sell it to hospitals at a hopefully lower price than $180/oz, more preemies get the good stuff, everything is rainbows and kittens and unicorns. 

But I'm not going to judge a mom who sells to Prolacta instead of donating, because $1000 is cash money. But... the rainbow/kitten/unicorn situation would be nice.