On-Line Auctions of Human Breast Milk
January 25, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under breast milk, donation of breast milk
Shortly after I wrote about the dangers of casual milk sharing and breast milk sales over the internet, I came across this internet advertisement:
Ever curious, I went to eBay and entered a search for “breast milk.” The search revealed over 100 items for sale, the vast majority of which were breast pumps, breast milk storage bags and bottles, and teas, drugs and herbal remedies to increase milk supply. Sure enough though, there was one item of “human breast milk” for sale: “Fresh healthy human breastmilk breast milk 4 your baby.” The seller claims to be a healthy mom of four children including a three-month-old baby. She makes a point to eat healthfully, drink lots of water, no soda and limited caffeine. The milk is offered either fresh or frozen in one ounce cubes. The seller asks for three weeks to build up enough milk to ship for large orders. She does not mention anything about whether she has been tested for communicable diseases such as AIDS, syphilis and hepatitis.
I just searched again using the “closed listings” features and found only one completed sale. On January 11, 2007 someone used the “Buy It Now” feature to buy “Human breast milk – fresh or frozen – have med records.” The breast milk sold for $1.75 per ounce with $14.00 flat rate overnight shipping. The listing stated:
Human breast milk for sale. Fresh or frozen. Medical records available to prove I am healthy. Huge discounts offered on orders of 100 oz or more. Will ship anywhere in the U.S. via overnight delivery. Milk stored in breast milk storage bags that will not leak. Milk will be cold and fresh upon arrival. Over 5,000 ounces available. Will continue to have milk available.
I’m a little shocked that eBay allows the sale of breast milk. The on-line classifieds site Craigslist prohibits the sale of any “bodily fluids.” On eBay’s website I checked the list of “Prohibited and Restricted Items.” Breast milk did not fall under “Hazardous, Restricted and Perishable Items.” I thought it might be covered under “Human Parts and Remains” which prohibits the sale of human blood and sperm but it did not list breast milk.
I used the “live chat” feature to ask an eBay representative whether eBay prohibits the sale of breast milk. The very nice representative immediately determined that my question needed to be submitted through the email support form and he walked me through the steps to submit my question. I’ll let you all know if and when I receive an answer!
They kicked it off e-bay as it violating the Food Policy as breast milk is an unpasterized dairy product which is not allowed, but I can repost it over and over again and they don’t notice.
I wouldn’t buy breastmilk from a stranger online, but, at the same time I do not support restrictions on the sale of breastmilk or on wet-nursing. These are issues between individuals and the government does not need to be involved. I have never nursed a baby other than my own, but I have given significant quantities of pumped milk to a mom with an adopted baby and I would do it again any time I was asked. I think every baby deserves fresh, unpasteurized breastmilk and it is ridiculous to have to pay an organization for it — the world is chock full of lactating women who will give you breastmilk for free or for a reasonable price. Heck — why not create an international market in it — I would sure rather see us paying women in developing countries for human milk than big corporations for formula.
I am a stay at home, mother of four. I have breastfed all of my children and am still nursing my youngest of 3 months. With this many children at home, money gets tight, and I would love to be able to pump extra breastmilk to be able to sell to mothers who arn’t able to breastfeed but still want the advantages of breastmilk. It’s a win-win situation. The baby gets the best kind of nutrition possible and the person donating gets compensated for their time. Perhapse some sort of medical screening should take place to be sure the donating person doesn’t have anything wrong that could be given through breastmilk.
That’s just my thought
I am a stay home mother of 4, I have breastfed all 4 of my babies. I am currently breastfeeding my 5 month old. I think that it is a parents right to decide if she wants to feed her baby another womans milk or not, who says you can trust what they put in formula?
I have looked into donating my breastmilk and even though the companies out there are mostly non for profit, they still in the end make money off the milk donated to them from mothers who just want to help someone in the long run. I personally don’t like to donate anything to someone making a profit off of an item I wanted to give to someone in need.Its just not right. And I am sure most if not all these donating mothers could use some extra money. If like me I’ll be out of work for at least the first 6 to 8 weeks after my second child is born. I don’t see what the why mothers can’t sell their breast milk to another in need, especially if the fee for the milk is lower than what the milk banks charge. Plus these milk banks process all donated milk, so how do you know that a lot of the nutrients and the good stuff is not removed with any of the bad stuff. WE DON’T! We do live in the United States, the land of the free, or suppose to be. So if a woman wants to sell her extra breast milk then she should be able to and even more so for those honest women out there who in the advertisments list medical files available and those foods/fluids that she puts into her body.
I am a breastfeeding mother of three who makes A LOT of extra milk daily. I freeze one to two bags a day and it just piles up in the freezer. I know from past experience that I will never use the frozen breastmilk and it will eventually get thrown away . I thought about selling it, but then I found it it’s actually illegal. I don’t understand why it is okay to donate breastmilk, but not okay to sell it?
I believe that if companies can profit from the sale of breastmilk that is *donated* then the actual donor should be able to profit as well. It is time consuming – and requires a pump – to donate. I donate and on average spend at least an extra hour per day pumping for that. I see no reason that a woman shouldn’t get paid. Men get paid to give sperm. Women should get paid for breastmilk. I see no difference. Certainly screening could be done, as it is now.
I just want to know if pasturizing breast milk changes the milk at all.
I am in Melbourne, Australia and want to know where I can get breast milk. Does anybody know?
How dare anyone tell someone else what they can do with their own body… If someone sells something that is proven (you know innocent until proven guilty not the other way around) disease ridden like blood or urine or seamen or even Brest milk, then they should be treated like someone using a weapon because that is what they are doing. However, “No One” has the right to restrict someone from using their body in any way they see fit if it harms no one else, you Nazi Jerk… Who are you? What business is it of yours who sells what? Don’t buy it or even read the adds if your offended. This is the biggest problem with the world today people, companies and governments trying to dictate the “morality” of others. Mind your own business, leave these people alone. I find it deplorable that government bodies and others can sell something that is donated to them without fair compensation to the donor. Then make it illegal to sell it themselves. Government’s job is supposed to be to protect their citizen not to control them. If you don’t work for them then you just need to just leave everyone else alone worry about yourself. I am sure you are no saint.
I’m interested to know if anyone has made a small pasturizer..kinda like those bottle sanitisers… for breast milk..that would solve the whole “what if the woman has hiv “scare and put the decisions back to the woman buying or selling it..
I work in a small gov hospital that would have a fit if we tried to bank unpasturied mild..so im after some figgers on the actual real risks involved in unprocessed mikl or a cheaper than $50 000 machine to do it..
I have heard of a system called something like “flash steralising ” or”flash processing “i(trialed byKierstan Israel-Ballard )that involves a saucepan of water and a jar adopted in Africa by women with HIV to feed their milk to their own babies…I was lookin for somethin in between these two..
I just love boobies! Maybe it’s a fetish but it doesn’t hurt anyone. I would like to purchase fresh healthy breast milk to add to my morning coffee. I’m a grown man and I bet it would be very tasty and high in calcium. I’m on an organic diet and I also find animal milk to be unacceptable and riddled with toxins. Since we all started out drinking the stuff I can’t imagine why adults shouldn’t still make it part of a balanced diet. If you wish to sell to a man who just wants a little boobie juice in the morning to make him feel nurtured, email me back. Reasonable prices will be considered. Thanks. Bob “the boobie fetish man”
That’s just inappropriate. I’d find it creepy to know that some “boob fetish” guy was slurpin’ down my breast milk. No matter how much you pay, I’d feel like I was whoring myself out. Besides, babies need it more perv! Nasty nasty nasty!
Hi everyone from Angela at Breastfeeding 1-2-3: I am getting a lot of comments from people offering their breast milk for sale, or asking for breast milk, and including their email addresses in the comments. I just want to let you all know that I will not publish any comments that include email addresses in text. I am not a proponent of casual milk sales over the internet, due to the health risks. While I know there are people willing to assume those risks, it’s not the purpose of Breastfeeding 1-2-3 to facilitate those transactions.
If you are interested in donating your milk, please see the nonprofit milk bank:
http://www.hmbana.org/
Another option is:
http://www.breastfeeding123.com/milkshare-site-for-informal-breast-milk-donation/
Hi-I have always donated my milk to the Mothers milk bank in San Jose. I was pretty shocked to hear that the hospitals pay up to $45 dollars an ounce. I was wondering if you donate to a non profit if you could deduct the fair market value of breastmilk on your taxes-if so I could already deduct over $22,000 dollars!!!! for 500+ oz in my freezer. That would ease any concerns that people have about companys (like Prolacta) making money off of donated breastmilk-I would think.
Hi Heather. That’s wonderful that you donate your milk to a non-profit (which charges $3 per ounce for the milk, unlike Prolacta). This newsletter from HMBANA answers your question about tax deductibility (see p. 5):
http://www.hmbana.org/downloads/2006Nov_newsletter.pdf
It says the value of the milk is not deductible but any mileage you incur in your volunteer efforts is deductible.
Hey Lindsay,
Get a life, Now where did he call you a name!! What gives you the right to do it . There’s nothing wrong with requesting breastmilk, If you can’t handle the request then ignor it.. Will
Hey Will,
Maybe instead of browsing a breastfeeding forum, you could spend some time learning correct spelling & punctuation. I’m a woman who has breastfed her child, and you are a man (I’m assuming because of your name) and you tell me to “get a life”? Why don’t you? — Or is this what you do on your lunch breaks? Maybe you ran out of your “boobie juice” too? I stick by what I said–unless he needs it for medical reasons (which he does not–he said it was a fetish) I think it’s inappropriate to ask for breastmilk (which should be donated to the babies who medically need it) just to satisfy a fetish. If he NEEDS to ask a question like that, I really don’t think this is the place & I bet no self-respecting mother would indulge his request. “Get a life”?? Are you 12 or something?
Ok Lindsay, Mother of mercy. Miss know it all [...] You figured me out, you get a token!!! SHUT UP
Im just about finished breastfeeding my one year old. But I would most defiantly continue to pump to sell my breastmilk to a man who wanted a little with his morning coffee or any other person who wanted it!
So what have we accomplished here? Angela the consultant is the only one who has found/given any answers. What can we really get for are milk and how?
I am sure if men were doing it, they’d be able to make money! Geez, a teenager can make $20 selling sperm every 3 days. Nursing moms should be able to make a bit of $$ from their breastmilk. I know I would do it in a heartbeat. Also, being able to do that might improve the rates of breastfeeding in this country. The lack of an income – or jobs that allow for pumping, makes it hard for way too many.
I’m amazed that so many women have so much extra milk to sell. I barely have enough, and find it hard to keep up with my son that is four months old. I have to supplement at times with formula. Part of the problem is that he was a lazy eater and never was good at breastfeeding, so at 6 weeks I gave up and have been pumping around the clock ever since, but I don’t think you have the same supply as you would from actually breastfeeding. I am a Registered Nurse and I’m amazed that anyone would buy milk from a stranger, considering the huge risks of HIV. That would be like accepting a blood transfusion for your baby with blood that was never screened or tested. Yuck. As far as all the men that buy it, well that creeps me out, but whatever, it is a free country.
i would just like to ad to the debate..why if human milk is not accptable for the mans coffee but cows is???if mothers milk is for babies till there weaned..yet we carry on stimulating cows to produce for us..surly we all need to stop and think why we all still and love milk..do we gain a comfort from it..ive just finshed 1 yr of breast feeding and i loved it..its completly natural substance and nothing sexual about it..i would sell
Yep… I’d sell it too… why not!
I see no issue with the sale of breast milk, as long as the woman really is disease free. I can guarantee if I sold my milk that I could offer the following:
I have no STDs (I’m screened every 6 months as part of my employment, and maintain a monogamous marriage)
I don’t drink alcohol. Ever.
I don’t drink caffeine. Ever.
I don’t smoke. Ever.
I eat healthy. I also take iron supplements and prenatal vitamins daily to help ensure enough nutrients are in the milk.
I exercise daily (also a requirement of my job).
I wash with soap and water prior to collecting the milk (hands and breasts).
I clean my pump equipment after each use.
I store it in sanitary bags.
So, could every nursing mother out there guarantee the same for her child? My guess is probably not. So, if some mother out there wanted to feed her child breastmilk but couldn’t do it herself for whatever reason, why shouldn’t she have the option of substituting my milk? It’s not forcing anyone to do it, it’s just allowing them to if they choose. I don’t see how this is any different from obtaining a wetnurse for a child in the days when formula hadn’t yet been invented.